Fragments of Time
by Sora Killua
Summary: A 26 year old Naruto met a mysterious teen, Sasuke. In a twist of fate, he was hauled back in time, to a younger self, a different world and a new life that he's foreign to. Now, besides faking his personality, figuring out who Sasuke was, he needs to get to the bottom of what happened to him and try to return back to his own world.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes**

 **Hello everyone, it's been a long time since I last uploaded anything. Life was really busy. Anyhow, I don't own Naruto, unfortunately. T_T I came back to you with a new story, this time we are going back in time! :D So sit back and enjoy the first chapter! I missed you all! A special thanks to my amazing beta, UnapologeticLatinFangirl, for her wonderful edits and great job!**

* * *

Everything was going wrong. Uzumaki Naruto wasn't a pessimist, he really wasn't. Whenever one of his friends would point out a bad situation, he'd always find a way to see the bright side. He counted it a talent, to see the half full glass, but somehow, it seemed like that talent - alongside his life – was crumbling away. Naruto took a deep breath and encouraged himself from within, everything would turn around; the awful things that were happening to him would change any minute now. He refused to think that that day brought him nothing but misfortune. However, as his legs dragged his heavy weight away from the director's office, all his wishes died down. He was fired.

The job that he worked his ass off, for three whole years, was snatched from his grasp in a mere second. Least to say, he hadn't expected it. The man before him was saying a lot of fancy words, but his ears only registered few.

"Company… cut-down… passing through difficult times… we have to let you go."

The optimistic part in him was still fighting and calling this: "a bliss in disguise". Maybe his true calling wasn't this company or this occupation; maybe he was let go to find his reason for existence. Yet the reasonable part countered that he didn't suffer an existential crisis, and the company wasn't going through anything that big. True, recession did affect them, but it wasn't to the degree of letting him go. His salary didn't affect them that much. Besides, he offered more than he took. He was one of the people who always worked their best, getting employee of the month straight for a year, securing a lot of projects and treating the company as his second home.

Was he wrong?

As if to satisfy him with an answer, the clouds gathering above released early drops of rain. Naruto was numb to it, he didn't know when he'd left the company, gotten into his car or driven to his house. His suit was getting wet and the weather pinched a bit colder. He looked up as his feet guided him outside his house; shuffling through his pants, he unlocked the door and went in. The nice aroma of his home greeted his nostrils. But a second later, he cringed. The apartment was in the same sorry condition he left it as. The half burnt shirt was lying on the wet couch, the toaster that was thrown to the other side of the room, and the hole in his thin wall gave a perfect view to his bedroom. That was just a mere part of the whole mess, aside from all the dust that filled the place.

The blond heaved a sigh.

It told the story of a man waking up late and rushing through, putting stuff together. Breakfast was soon concluded to be toast and jam, yet the toaster appeared not to be working. Fumbling with the switch and the electricity was a bad decision, as suddenly the man's unbuttoned sleeve hooked on said toaster. Fire was soon to come and, panicking, the man used the flower's watering can to extinguish the fire on himself. Stumbling on his feet, he fell on his couch, splashing the water everywhere. The man decided to leave everything as it was and changed quickly to his beloved job. Forgetting the crucial detail of closing the windows, this allowed the dust from the sandstorm that hit that afternoon to decorate his apartment's lovely interior.

Naruto sighed upon remembering the events of his misfortune. Even after doing his best to reach work on time – traffic accidents aided in delaying that – he was fired.

Fired. Fired. **Fired**.

The word seemed foreign to his mind. He's worked very hard and somehow along the line he had forgotten that he could be replaced. Sighing, the blond went and closed his windows. Right now, he didn't need to think, he needed to act. His apartment was a disaster and he needed that fixed. Getting to the shower he brought out his tools and changed into comfortable wear then started work. Two hours later, the place looked presentable. The blond rushed to take a bath, feeling the sweat of the day rinse away with his misfortunes.

Finally he was sitting comfortably in his living room; his brain was about to overthink, yet the sound of thunder brought his attention to the opposite window. He walked towards it and saw a downpour hitting the streets. Some people were running here and there sheltering at convenience. Some chose to stand still under a shade and wait it out, and some like him, preferred to glance from a window.

Naruto leaned on the window frame and simply watched the outside. It was a privilege to have such a big window. The view wasn't all that terrible; sure his street had more shops than natural trees or a nice park, but it was calming to look at. He found that he liked observing people. People were so different it was laughable; they would handle situations in all different ways. He remembered a certain accident involving a dog. It was homeless, dirty and old. It was lying on the pastry shop opposite his apartment complex. A lot of people were kind to the old dog, but a lot also ignored its existence. A small fraction looked with disgust and guard against the animal. However, not a single one thought to bring it home.

Naruto understood the reason, people knew the dog was old and had a few days probably in him; he looked very frail to Naruto, so none wished to experience the heartache associated with sheltering a dying animal. It was simply human nature not wishing to see the bad. So the ones being momentarily kind secured self-assurance by telling themselves they've helped give him food, a nice pet or entertained him for a while. Even for a second, they thought it mattered enough.

Of course there were always those little exceptions to the rule, in this case, it was a child of perhaps eight or ten years old. The child was holding his mother's hand and guiding her to the old dog, the woman's facial expression changed when her boy asked to take him home. Naruto believed she was puzzled as to how refuse him with a reason that won't hurt her son's feelings. She didn't want to see him sad, but she didn't want him to experience that pain so early on. Of course, he wasn't able to hear what she had told him, but the boy seemed to move away with a smile.

The blond pondered it to be something along the lines that his owner would come to pick him up. Children were like that, easy to fool, easy to lie to and very easy to give what no one wanted to give.

A smile came to his lips when he remembered that incident. Feeling like the air was getting colder, Naruto brought himself a blanket and a chair as he huddled by the window. He had no one in the apartment to talk to. His friends were probably busy with their lives and actually, currently, he didn't feel much like talking. Gazing to the outside, something caught his attention. He might have been wrong, but it tugged at the corner of his heart. He tried to get a closer look, but with the rain and the mist forming, it was hard to do so.

So he was faced with three choices: go down and investigate, wait in place and ignore or shout from the window for someone to check for him.

Yet, like he was given choices, the person he could shout to also had them, and this was summed up in whether to help him or not. If he were to do something, Naruto would be faced with more choices if what he saw secured to be what he believed it to be. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, put the blanket on the chair and fetched his umbrella. He had nothing to do anyway and better than thinking things and depressing himself, he'd decided early on to act.

Getting down the one story that separated him from the outside, Naruto waited until the street was empty of vehicles, then crossed. In the small alley, situated between the barber's shop and the pastry shop, there was a mountain of trash (probably the assigned trashcan place for the neighborhood). He took firm steps and had to remove some boxes by his feet, but the confirmation came clear to his eyes. His heart raced when he saw it and his breath hitched in his throat. A human leg. It was dirty and looked swollen, clearing his throat to steady his voice, the blond called.

"Hello?"

Through the rain, his voice came out muffled; there was no motion from the leg, so he walked further into the alley. The problem was it was too narrow and piled up to the max with trash, so doing so was very hard. But something told him he shouldn't give up yet. So putting his umbrella away, Naruto squeezed through the trash and was able to finally see the leg connecting to a body. Removing the trash around, he got to the whole of the person lying there. His eyes met with a teen. Probably of fifteen or more. His clothes were ripped. His body was filled with bruises and marks. He was a human mess.

Yet, the blond cared about only one thing, was he alive or not?

Getting closer, he didn't really know how to check for pulse. He'd seen it on TV, but never really knew the right way to do so, that's why he opted for checking for the breathing. He put his hand in front of the teen's nostrils and was internally happy when faint warm breaths hit his cold tips. Thinking that it was better to call the teen to wake up, the blond tried again, this time, adding up volume.

"Hey, are you alright? Can you hear me?" He paused for a reply. "Hey… WAKE UP!"

Nothing came, so he tried to shake him up a little, making sure not to press on any place that had a change of color. But it was also to no avail. The problem was that it was raining harder and harder, and upon touching that skin, it was very cold. Naruto's head thought quickly, he should call an ambulance, even if this kid turned out to be homeless, he'd die like this without proper treatment. As he reached for his cell, he remembered leaving it on the nightstand. So he'd have to go back to his apartment to get it, but leaving this child alone like this didn't feel right, he also didn't know if by the time the ambulance comes by he'd be alive or not. So, deciding quickly, he chose to drive him to the hospital.

The blond male took a deep breath and carried the teen bridal style to the entrance of his building – passersby gave him strange looks but no one offered a hand or questioned his actions -, emphasizing how no one wished to interfere with this recipe of trouble. Naruto put him down close to the stairs, ran up to his flat to get the car keys, his cell and some money.

Five minutes later, he was putting the wet male inside his car. The dark hair the teen had was filled with dirt and stuck to the puffed out face, Naruto tried to move it to get a clear look, but still he wasn't able to identify distinctive features. Thinking that it wasn't important right that moment, he got inside, started the engine and with hope in his voice, cheered on.

"Don't worry; I'm bringing you to a hospital, just hang on, okay? Be strong!"

Different from the previous moments, this time he got a groan and a faint whisper. "…No… no hospital… please… no…"

Naruto felt perplexed by those words, for whatever reason the teen didn't wish to be taken there. Did he want to die? Was this a request not to help him? Or he just had problems with the law and feared getting caught? A lot of questions were not answered and he felt like if he asked, it would befall deaf ears. So again, he was faced with choices. Does he do as requested, or as must?

Sighing, his brain came up with a middle ground. Popping out his cell, he dialed the number of the friend he trusted the most. Three rings later, the cheerfulness of one Haruno Sakura came to greet him.

"Sakura-chan, hello, yeah, how are you doing?" He started a brief greeting. "Umm… listen, can I ask you for a favor? Where are you now? Home? You're off tonight? Great, I'm coming over in five… yeah… I'll tell you when I see you… bye."

Putting his cell down, the blond started off driving towards her house. Thanking God for her choosing medicine as a profession.

* * *

Naruto sat on the most comfortable armchair at Sakura's. His wet outfit was in the dryer getting dried, Sakura has insisted he gotten out of those clothes and gave him a towel to hide under. At first, when he brought her the teen, she was struck with her doctor driven nature and gave instructions on what to do with him, then when she calmed down, she started asking questions. She couldn't put her hands on someone she didn't know anything about. But sadly, Naruto didn't have the answers to her questions. He simply narrated what had happened, ending with the child's request that he chose to honor.

At that moment, Haruno Sakura warned and lectured about all the possible bad outcomes for this. He simply smiled through her rant. Knowing that she cared about him but still willingly helped the teen. Simply nodding to her and saying he'd take full responsibility for whatever outcome may come, the rose-colored haired doctor chose to believe him. As she was tending to the patient, Naruto waited for her outside in the living room. A peep singled the drying of his clothes. He went to the bathroom and got inside them.

Looking at the ripped clothes nearby, he decided that new clothes were in order, and Sakura probably didn't have any teenage boy's clothes lying around. He wrote a note that he'd be right back and off he went. By the time he was back, Sakura was sitting comfortably sipping her coffee. He smiled and greeted.

"Hey, how is he doing?"

"Stable, for now. But you need to bring him to a hospital, Naruto," She explained. "I want to check if he has a broken rib or not. There're no signs that he's bleeding internally so I'm hopeful that his ribs are alright. I did only minor stuff with what I have here."

"That's good then."

"Yes, but we need to confirm so a _hospital_." She stressed.

Naruto nodded and put the bag he brought down. "I also agree with you, so let's wait until he wakes up then talk him into going there. I don't want to do something the person responsible on his own life doesn't wish to be done. Besides, to get beaten up so badly, the police had to be involved for sure."

"Regardless, he needs proper treatment; whatever happens next doesn't matter as long as he's alive."

"Apparently, it matters to him." The blond countered. "Anyways, I brought him some clothes and shoes. We can't have him walk barefoot like this."

Sakura smiled at the chuckle that left Naruto's lips. "Well I estimate that he'd wake up three to four hours from now. I gave him something light for the pain, I couldn't risk with anything strong because I have no medical history to rely on so his pain will only dull out a little."

The sounds of groans coming from the room to their right, affirmed Sakura's statement. The blond stood up and walked away. "I'll go check on him for a little."

Jade eyes simply watched him step away, hiding inside of them the wonder to her friend's sudden odd behavior.

Naruto closed the door behind him; his eyes immediately fell on the teen moaning in pain. The black haired male was covered with a thick blanket and the only thing visible was his head. Sakura bandaged one eye and the opposite cheek, he was sure she did a lot – probably everything she could – to help him. Smiling as he approached the sleeping male, Naruto started up a conversation.

"Hey again… how do you feel?" He didn't expect an answer and none came, so he continued. "You look better than before. Cleaner too."

The blond chuckled to himself again; he removed a stray lock from that swollen face and suddenly felt the tiredness of the day drain on him. The room was warm and the sound of the rain in the background secured the perfect lullaby, he put his head on the bed with his sight on the hurt male and smiled. Naruto didn't know what it was, but he felt happy inside. Maybe helping someone in need every once and a while wasn't a bad thing. He wondered: if he'd made the choice and stayed in his apartment, would this child be alive right now? Or would another person dare to choose to help him. And what if no one saw him, or they ignored him like they did when he was carrying him over?

His smile stretched a little. Sometimes giving a little bit extra kindness was best for the soul. A moan broke out of a broken lip, and Naruto patted his head. "Hush, I'm here… you'd be alright, I promise you… whatever demons you have or hunting you, for tonight, I'll protect you from them, so sleep tightly."

The blond reached a tan hand and grasped hold of the pale one hiding under the blanket. It was warm and his heart felt nostalgic when touching it. Lying back on his other hand, Naruto caressed the hand in his and grinned when it held tighter to his own. Yes, the best idea was choosing to help indeed.

* * *

The sun flickered through the curtains illuminating the beginning of a new bright day, and even birds chose to chirp delightfully. Azure eyes opened slightly, Naruto tried to clear his vision and when he did he was met with a black, intense eye staring and poring holes inside his skull. He blinked a couple of times to get the hang of what was happening and where he was, then the events of the previous night came washing over him like an old scenario.

Grinning, he fixed his position and a yawn was out of his mouth. "Good morning, if you were up, you should have woken me earlier."

The teen simply kept on staring at him. The blond was a bit uneasy so he chatted a little, "How are you feeling? Do you still hurt like last night? You said not to bring you to a hospital so I didn't, umm… I hope it was the right decision. Anyway, are you okay now?"

No answer, simply a cold stare.

Naruto looked at their joint hands; the raven haired male apparently didn't remove his hand from Naruto's grasp. He was a little bit cute, so the blond allowed an easy smile to show on his face. He'd contemplated the thought that there might be something wrong with the teen. Perhaps he was hit in the head, damaging a sense or his ability to speak or comprehend. _Or_ … he was simply putting his guard up, for after all, Naruto was a complete stranger.

The blond took a deep breath, brushed his thumb over that pale dorsum and introduced himself.

"Hello, my name's Uzumaki Naruto. I found you yesterday, you were lying on an alley near my apartment building, and I helped you. At first I wanted to take you to a hospital, but you groaned that you didn't want to go there so I brought you here," He gestured to the vicinity they were at. "This is my best friend's house. Her name's Haruno Sakura, she's a doctor. She was the one who patched you up last night so make sure to thank her, as well."

He gave the teen a smile, yet the stoic features and the cold stare didn't change.

"I realize you're umm… confused probably and don't trust me, I also don't know what happened to you but I assure you, I'm not a bad person… well you won't know but I wish that you trust my words." He squeezed the teen's hand to emphasis his point.

This time, the black haired male looked at their locked hands. He stared for a while then returned his sight to the stranger in front of him. Naruto seemed to take some kind of comfort that the hand in his wasn't drawn away, so he tried to familiarize the teen with where he was and started explaining their location, hoping that when he knows where he's at, he'd relax more with him.

Half an hour later the door to the room opened and a tired looking Sakura walked inside. She looked her patient up and down and yawned Naruto to move. "Get out; I need to give him a check up."

Upon her words, Naruto noticed that the male opposite of him was still covered in nothing but bandages and a blanket. Meaning he was naked inside, he's forgotten to put clothes on him the previous night. The blond nodded to Sakura but addressed the black haired male.

"I need to go now, but don't worry, I'll be right outside, if you need anything just ask. This is the doctor I told you about," he reintroduced, "She's very good, top of her class so you're in good hands. Relax."

He finished with a ruffle to that black hair, finding it very soft and silky to the touch. Again, the boy didn't react, however when their hands were about to break from contact, Naruto noticed a slight resistance from the other party. He smiled and reassured where he'd be. Sakura locked the door after him and sighing, Naruto decided it was best to make breakfast, but before that, he brought the bag of clothes and put in near the door, shouting for Sakura to bring it to him inside.

After washing up, Naruto walked to the kitchen, and quickly he scanned the fridge to get out anything that could become a decent breakfast. It didn't take long for him to do that and patiently waited for the doctor and patient to emerge from the room. He flicked through the morning paper that Sakura had brought in, and spent the time until she was out.

Ruffling her hair, the doctor walked into the kitchen. "Morning."

"Morning. How's he?"

"Better." A look of uncertainty flashed her face, but finally she decided to ask, after all Naruto said he'd take responsibility, it's better to know what he was taking responsibility for. "Naruto… you… that kid, have you seen his back?"

Blinking at her odd words, he shook his head. "No, why?"

"He's… I think we shouldn't interfere with him anymore. I mean even taking him to a hospital. It's better to stop here." She advised in all sincerity.

Her words were strange to his ears, Sakura was more keen than him to help people, she sometimes would go out of her way to help anyone in need, so for her to give up so early on a child just didn't sit right with him. Folding the paper, he gave her his utmost attention, yet before he was able to ask anything, the door to the room opened and a much better looking male stood looking at them.

Naruto felt happy that the clothes fit him perfectly; he was making a lot of guesses when he bought them, especially those jeans. In front of them stood a 169 cm tall teen. His hair was drawn in two long pangs falling gracefully to show his face. His features showed. The swelling decreased drastically, but one eye was still bandaged, it didn't give Naruto a full picture, but from the small plump lips and the high arched nose, Naruto could see the handsomeness radiate off. His pale complexion did nothing but highlight his attractiveness.

The blond stared.

"She's right." A low-key tone radiated off, catching Naruto off guard. It was the first time he's heard a voice so smooth yet so catching; it made something in him jitter. "It's best to stop here. Don't involve yourself with me anymore."

Upon those words, the teen took himself and headed to what he thought to be the front door. At this, Naruto woke up from his trance, and hurried behind him. Sakura already sensing what was coming; she sighed and pretended she saw nothing.

"Wait! Where are you going?" The blond halted. "You can't just decide this by yourself. You need to go to the hospital. And Sakura-chan, I didn't expect this from you!" He scolded. "You're a doctor, how can you allow your patient to go without fully treating him!?"

"Because he's fully treated to _survive_. And you can't treat someone who doesn't want to be treated." She defended herself.

Naruto frowned at her and returned to the teen. "Look, I don't know what's going on between you two but I won't allow you to go. You're sick; you need to be treated –"

" _Move_."

The word was curt and ice cold. Naruto knew he was older, but it sent shivers down his spine. It was the first time in his life that something like this happens. Even his toes got cold. It wasn't necessarily the word that made him stand still, it was that apparent eye. That black eye holding him under some invisible spell, making his bones shutter. Naruto watched as the male slipped right out of his hands and out the door. Even after the sound of the door closing reached his ears, it took him a while to be able to move again.

"What… what just happened?" Startled at his own actions, the blond asked.

Sakura came and pat him from behind, sipping her cup of coffee, she whispered. "I think you were just introduced to the power of the underground world."

* * *

It had been close to a month now since Naruto has encountered that incident. His days were passing by quite ordinarily, sometimes he even felt like it didn't happen – aside from Sakura's confirmation that it did. His heart was somehow consoled about losing his job; he'd decided to take some time off work and simply idle around. Last he knew he graduated and immediately started working. To him, his life had nothing but work in it. So getting out and doing things that he'd missed were a good change of atmosphere. Though it wasn't easy. He was so used to waking up on time and the whole 9 to 5 timeline that getting a whole day off felt weird. He seriously didn't know what to do with himself some times.

Hanging out with friends could not be done daily – since his friends were busy themselves – and he wasn't that keen on going out of his way to invite them out. He did decide to pursue some sports. In college he used to play basketball, so he went back to that, and enrolled in a gym to strengthen his sleepy muscles. He enjoyed swimming so he did some of that as well. Strolling through the nearby park was a daily chore. He befriended the old lady that always fed the pigeons there. Actually, they were getting so friendly that she was giving him marriage proposals in which he'd laugh off to not seem rude.

Naruto told Sakura about getting fired, she knew how big of a deal it was to him – because she knew he had nothing in his life but work, just like her – but encouraged that it was a chance to explore the world. The blond shuffled through the pages of the cookbook at hand, he was also getting to learn of new recipes. The blond chose a tart that seemed easy to make, he shuffled the ingredients in his fridge, finding that he needed to get the berries and some salted cream.

Putting the glasses on the table, he fetched his coat and went out. The supermarket was about three minutes walk from his apartment. He passed by one of his neighbors and exchanged a small chat then both were on their separate ways. Naruto quickly got the things missing and some snacks to entertain with before leaving the place. As he was about to enter his apartment building, he felt like there were eyes watching him, yet turning around, there was nothing out of the ordinary, he shrugged before overthinking as he came up to his apartment.

The blond adult looked at the picture of what his tart was supposed to look like and the actual tart in front of him. He cringed, it wasn't one hundred percent alike, but it wasn't horrible. For a first try, it was okay. Naruto made himself some tea and brought his tart over to the couch and turned the TV on some random show. He's gotten to the habit of making a TV-time. It was something normal individuals did, but he was never really 'normal' to begin with.

He found himself enjoying this lifestyle a bit too much. He liked true stories, documentaries, and action. He enjoyed sports, especially football. Maybe because he sucked at it, but for a strange reason, he liked the sport. As his body relaxed, he tasted his tart; it was a bit too sweet for him –probably that sour-sweet berries – but was quite delicious. Checking his time, it read nine at night. Naruto thought to read a book before heading to bed.

Just as he was about to pick a favorite amongst the many he'd brought, his doorbell rang. It wasn't unusual for this to happen, but it was as of late. His friends did tend to drop by at night, but they'd always call beforehand because he would sometimes be out on extended business hours. Thinking that it could be his landlord or a neighbor in distress, the blond shouted that he was coming. Sadly, he didn't have a peeping hole in the door, so he couldn't know who was there.

Yet as he opened the door, he wasn't ready for the surprise outside. He needed to blink two times to check his sight. There stood before him the person who had chosen to run away in a fiery of secrets than to be treated normally. Naruto's eyes took their full. There was no bandage anymore, so finally seeing how that eye looks was adding more charm than possible. The teen's hair seemed to lay in a natural two-bangs style in front, spikes in the back. Though the blond did question how those spikes were secured when the hairs were so soft. The face was looking healthier than before. No bruises in sight, those sinful lips looked rosier. The plump cheeks told Naruto to take a pinch at them, tempting him dearly. He chose to resist, not really knowing where he stood with the human in front of him.

No words were said between them. Naruto cleared his throat when he was done inspecting the teen and gestured for him to come inside. He had no idea what brought the kid back, but whatever it was, it was better dealt with in the warmth of his apartment. The minute he locked the door, a pale hand quickly entwined with his own. The blond was taken by surprise. However, seeing a relieved smile show on that stoic face made him halt his questions.

"…I knew it."

Ahh, he didn't know how much he liked that voice until now, that low-key tone was becoming his favorite type of music. Naruto gave off a small smile and asked gently.

"Knew what?"

"You're warm."

He wanted to point out that of course he was, he was alive, but somehow chose to change into another reply. "You are too."

Their eyes locked again and they did nothing but stare at each other. Naruto tugged at the hand in his and brought them to the couch; he sat down forcing the teen to do the same and offered.

"Do you want something to eat or drink?"

A shake was his only indication of an understanding. Aside from that, the teen put his head back on the couch and seemed to relax. The blond chuckled inwardly watching him. He had a lot of questions to ask and was sure their situation was so weird to anyone who would come, yet it still felt natural to him. This person connecting with him felt like home. It was so strange and even he was surprised at how he was behaving.

"Hey," The blond asked when those beautiful black peals closed off. "What's your name?"

The hand in his got a bit cold at that and he sensed the teen tense up so Naruto quickly added. "It's fine if you don't want to answer."

"Sasuke."

It was said as a whisper, and if the blond wasn't paying close attention, he might have missed it.

"Sasuke," he tried the name. "Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke."

The other apparently didn't find anything wrong with hearing his name over and over so he didn't complain. Naruto decided to ask a different question, just to be on the safe side of the law.

"How old are you?"

"…Why?"

"No reason, I just wanted to know where I stand."

He saw a smirk form on those lips. Then, a question came as his answer did. "How old are you?"

"Twenty six."

"Old."

Naruto laughed. "And you're young. That's why I need your age."

At this, Sasuke opened an eye. "Don't worry; you're not doing anything illegal."

"So I take that… you're eighteen?"

There was no answer and it was apparent that that was the end of this conversation. The blond allowed it to go. He didn't do anything that made him feel guilty so he should just focus on that. To his right his small library remained, he reached with his free hand and grabbed a random book – due to his limited access, he was able only to reach few of them. Luckily, it was one he was interested in reading.

It was a bit hard reading with one hand, but he managed. Few times he'd glance beside him to check he wasn't dreaming, and a cute face would meet his eyes. Naruto felt the hand in his tighten as the teen probably drifted off to sleep. About an hour later, he decided that the position Sasuke was in was uncomfortable and would probably put more strain on his muscles than anything.

Closing his book, he stood up slowly not wanting to disturb the raven haired male. He thought of a way to carry Sasuke to the bed with his entwined hands. It was hard to do, for a moment he had to separate them. A groan of protest echoed, he smiled and carried the teen the small distance inside. The minute Sasuke was on the bed, Naruto was faced with two black pearls. In a situation similar to that morning.

"Who said you could move your hand away?"

Naruto smiled at the question and explained. "I needed to bring you to bed. Sleeping like that wasn't good for you."

"…I slept?" A puzzled expression fell on the teen's face.

"Quite deeply too."

"Oh."

"Anyhow," Naruto started. "I still need to finish some things so I'll need my hand for a while."

There was no reply, but those eyes cursed at him to hurry the hell up. Naruto quickly did the chores he needed to finish, cleaned up his kitchen, took a shower, brushed his teeth and changed into his pajamas. Coming to his bed, he saw the teen flickering something with his phone. His stoic face having gotten little bit colder. Naruto cleared his throat singling his entrance. Sasuke immediately put the cell away and reached out his hand.

"Hand."

"You really want nothing but my hand."

The teen nodded making Naruto roll his eyes. The blond switched the lights off first, and crawled into his bed before locking their hands back. His bed wasn't that big, but not that small, their figures could sleep in harmony but not too comfortably. As they both lied on their backs, their shoulders touched. The silence of the room surrounded them so the blond chose to speak a little about himself.

"I have no family. My parents are both dead. I don't have any siblings. The closest thing I have to a sister is Sakura. I don't have a girlfriend, I used to but somehow we drifted apart… I wonder how she's doing right now." He paused, thinking back on his past. "You know, my life is empty. I only worked. As far as I can remember, I was driven to work. The day I met you, I was fired. It was a shock because I was good at my job – I've always thought that those getting fired were the bad ones only. I'm not so good with human interactions. I don't think I've deeply connected with another my whole life."

He stopped there. Not because he didn't want to continue but because he felt he didn't have words. To him that was enough. In the dark room, lit only by the streetlight seeping through the curtains, Naruto felt at ease. It was strange. He wasn't an open person. In fact, usually it took him a while to trust people and put them close, close enough for them to learn the insides on his private life. But here he was, summarizing his life of twenty six in a few lines to a complete stranger. Yet strangely enough, he was at peace doing so. Not an ounce of regret was in him. He turned his head to the other side, finding Sasuke's face a few inches away from his own.

The teen used his right hand to plop his head on it and looked Naruto in the eyes as he spoke.

"This," Sasuke gestured to their hands. "Is a _connection_. Right now, this instance, you and I are connected. Nothing else matters. We are _connected_."

The odd feeling that the raven haired male was saying those words to himself not to Naruto washed over the blond, but he shrugged it off. He offered one of his trademark grins and held tightly to Sasuke's hand. "We are indeed."

"Now sleep and stop thinking about stuff. I'm very tired."

The blond watched as Sasuke made himself comfortable, snuggling closer to him like a content cat. Naruto drew the covers over them, it was a cold night, but strangely enough, he felt quite warm, both in and out.

* * *

Morning found Uzumaki Naruto in bed alone. The blond groaned as his sluggish muscles greeted the light of the day. He searched the room with his eyes and there was no trace of Sasuke. Walking out, he called the teen's supposed name but none answered. He checked his bathroom and there were no signs of Sasuke. Apparently just like he'd come, he left. Naruto regretted not having a phone number or any form of contact with the latter. He pondered if he'd be able to see him again, he looked at the hand that held Sasuke's and smiled. They were connected so most likely their paths would cross again.

And that cross came no sooner than three days later, Naruto was walking back from his football training match and found his stray cat sitting outside in the aisle. Black orbs followed him as he opened the apartment. As if pulled by magnet, Sasuke toed. Inside Naruto pointed to his living room.

"You can wait there, I need to take a quick shower."

The raven haired male did as told. Naruto put the dirty laundry in its assigned basket and hurried to finish his bath. A while later found him drinking some apple juice with a towel on his head, drying his wet golden locks. Sasuke was watching him keenly from the kitchen counter.

"I actually thought it'd take longer to see you this time." The blond came to sit next to his black cat. "Did something happen?"

"…Nothing."

"You don't want to talk about it?"

Instead of using words, Sasuke took Naruto's hand away from the towel and helped him dry off. Touching a stray lock, the teen questioned. "You're naturally blond?"

"Yes, those are my eyes too, not contact lenses." He added merrily.

"Da."

"Oh come on~! Some people think I have contacts on." The blond justified himself.

Sasuke cupped Naruto's face and pulled it close to his, with a flat tone, he reasoned. "Being this close, it's impossible not to know if they're natural or not."

The teen could feel Naruto's face as it stretched into a smile. He rolled his eyes when stars appeared on those dark blue seas and handed the towel to the blond.

"We're done?"

"We're done." Sasuke confirmed, moving away.

"So soon," The adult of the two winked. "I rather enjoyed the service."

It earned him another eye-roll. "Idiot."

Naruto combed him hair backwards and took the chance to pry into his strange visitor. "So do you have a phone number I can get?"

"I do and you can't."

"You don't want me to contact you?"

Sasuke nodded. "When I want to see you, I'd find you."

The blond countered with a small smirk. "That's hardly fair, what if I want to see you but you don't want to see me?"

"Then you won't see me."

"…Is it really that hard to give me your number?"

"Yes." The teen looked him in the eyes in all seriousness.

Yet being the person he was, giving up without a fight wasn't in him, so Naruto pushed his luck. "Would it get you in trouble?"

"No."

"Then… would it get _me_ in trouble?"

Sasuke didn't answer, his face returned to being cold and stoic. In a second though, he stood up and walked to the front door. "I need to leave; this was a bad idea after all."

This time, Naruto refused to allow him to do as he pleased and pulled his hand. "No, little kitty, you're not leaving tonight. I can pretty much guess what you are trying to hide. But don't worry. I won't get mixed or pulled in. You said we are connected so no matter where you go, we would meet. Coming here wasn't a bad idea and neither me wanting to get closer to you, get that kitty cat?"

The coldness in Sasuke's eyes dimmed a little but was still there. "…You don't get it; my world is different than yours. It's ruthless. You can't exist there. I won't allow it."

"But you exist in mine and I very much want you to stay." Naruto countered.

The raven haired male turned around and frowned at him. "You don't know me; you don't know who I am."

"Yes, it doesn't matter. What's the worst that you could be? A killer?" Naruto joked.

"…"

Sasuke didn't affirm or deny, the blond ran a hand through his already dried locks and reasoned. "Can't you just stay? I mean you've been waiting for me for how long today? I don't even know when I'll see you again, so stay for me tonight. I promise no more questions. It'd be just us chatting normally, hm?"

His gentle tone seemed to tug at Sasuke's nerves persuading him. The tense air decreased as the teen returned back to the chair. His eyes losing their edge. "Just for tonight."

"Yep~!" The blond chirped. "So what should we do? Did you eat yet? I can cook us dinner."

Sasuke seemed to take a minute thinking of this before he replied. "No... I didn't."

"Good! Neither did I. so what do you want to eat? I can cook anything!"

"You sure about that?"

Grinning like an idiot, the adult confirmed. "You just decide and I'll blow your mind."

"Then I want Kung Pao Chicken. Can you make that?"

The blond sweat-dropped a little and laughed nervously. He was never good with Chinese.

At the end, the Kung Pao Chicken turned out to be more of chicken with spices and vegetables more than a real Kung Pao Chicken. Naruto apologized in advance, but the dish was edible, so Sasuke didn't complain. In fact, he finished his plate and asked for more. The blond was happy that his efforts were appreciated. They finished eating and Naruto tided up everything. Sitting in front of the TV over a cup of juice, Sasuke asked:

"What do you plan to do?"

"Excuse me?" The blond asked over a sip.

"About work. You said you were fired, what will you do to live?"

"Well, I already have money to sustain me for a while so I don't need to search right now. I actually just want to take it day by day, enjoy living for once."

"Hn."

Since Naruto had promised not to pry, he couldn't honestly ask anything that he wanted to. So he tried to get a little bit around his promise. "So what do you like to watch? I mean anything specific you want me to flip onto?"

The teen shrugged. "Anything you like is fine."

"A movie then. Horror? Comedy? Romance?" He suggested, not giving up quite yet.

"Whatever."

"Sasuke, that won't do. You need to pick something you enjoy as well, I can't force you into something you don't want just because I like it."

"I already said I'm fine with it, so you're not _'forcing'_."

"Well, I'm still not okay with it."

The teen remained silent, it would actually be easier just to state his own likes, but he honestly didn't think much of anything right now. Even figuring out what he liked to watch was a hassle. To him, he just wanted to stay in that position, cuddled against this man who strangely enough was soothing to his bones. Groaning out with stretched hands, the raven haired male snorted.

"Let's go with adventure then. Shall we?"

Grinning that he'd won the little argument, Naruto flipped onto some adventure movie. The movie had already begun so they sat trying to catch the plot. A mad scientist has unleashed the power of some strange crystal and the earth was doomed to hell unless three protagonists travel in time and retrieve some device. Naruto cringed at the plot. It was so cliché and old-fashioned that he wanted to flip into another movie, but one look beside him had him change that opinion. Sasuke was watching with entranced eyes. Apparently, the movie was to his liking. Naruto smiled and laid back. Maybe a cliché movie wasn't so bad every once in a while.

Two hours later found the blond staring at an empty room. His little kitten had already left a while ago, even though he had tried everything to convince him to stay the night, the young man insisted on leaving. The blond sighed. Maybe it was for the better, he did want to become closer but the aspect of committing a crime was still hanging on his head. Turning to his right his eyes met with a black box. Blinking, he straightened up and walked to get a hold of it. Naruto didn't remember owning such an item. Probably it was something left behind by Sasuke.

His curiosity got the better of him – as always – and he ended up inspecting the black box. It had no openings except for a round slit on the top. It felt as if it was made of metal, but it was surprisingly light. Naruto tossed it into the air and the box fell right into his hands elegantly. He frowned, what could possibly be hidden inside? As he wondered and pondered, he failed to see the dark shadow moving freely closer to him.

Deciding that it was best to put it away until its owner claims it, Naruto couldn't even reach halfway to the nightstand when suddenly everything around him turned pitch black, and the last thing that he'd seen was his bed twirl in unforeseen darkness.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, review and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:**

 **Sorry for the long delay in updating, I had some problems finding a beta. But now that I've one who I like very much, NikkiCross,** **this story will be updated on regular basis. So everyone cheer for her to continue aiding me get these chapters out! /(^_^)/******

 **To everyone who is still following, thank you! I'll leave you now to read, enjoy~**

* * *

His eyes hurt; stinging as if acid had been poured into them. There was a buzzing ache in his head, and it took him a minute to allow the sharp pains inside to settle. His mouth felt dry and his body was sore, but as Uzumaki Naruto twisted backwards out of the uncomfortable position he was forced into, the blond was finally able to adjust to his surroundings. Blinking once, twice, he looked again as a dumbfounded look etched itself onto the confused man's features.

What the hell was going on?

He was lying on the floor, one hand clutching the remote and the other lazily splayed onto the sofa. While it was entirely likely a situation where he must have fallen while watching could easily be concluded, Naruto didn't have any clue as to where he was. That TV set, those wooden floors, the tiger-printed sofa he was abusing, the fan, the windows… _this household_. His eyes went wide. Maybe he did know where he was. Naruto knew those things all too well, and as the blond ruffled his golden locks, he decided to calm down. He was still dreaming. Probably. No, this had to be nothing but a dream.

Sitting straight and pinching himself, the scene didn't change, and neither did the ache in his cheeks. Naruto pinched himself again, even slapped his whiskered face, but nothing altered. The blond stood up, failing to ward off an anxiety crusade, when a gentle voice called from his right snapping him out of it.

"Naruto, you're still sleeping?"

As if his eyes couldn't get more pained, a trace of tears welled up at their corners. Naruto turned slowly, almost afraid of what he might see. There, in the entrance to the living room, stood none other than his dear father; Namikaze Minato. The blond's hair was as wild as ever and his trademark grin was plastered onto his face with pride. Naruto felt his fingertips tingle at his side, and while he didn't know what came over him, the younger blond didn't regret it when in the blink of an eye; he had traversed the little distance separating them and captured his father in a bone-crushing hug.

Naruto had no idea what was going on anymore, but whatever it was, he was grateful for this encounter.

Minato blinked at the unexpected hug, but gently returned it. "I see you've healed from Sakura-chan's rejection."

The joking tone brought Naruto out of his trance. "…Umm… y-yeah…?"

"What? Did you get amnesia? Remember yesterday you came crying about how you'd finally confessed your undying love – you've been pining since kindergarten, after all," his father added, amused, "but Sakura-chan told you it's best to be just friends? Remember?"

Naruto's mind flipped back to an old memory he had of such events; he remembered confessing to Sakura in high school and being flatly rejected. It was one of those points in the young man's life where he thanked Sakura for being tough. She was really better off as a sister and a supportive friend than a lover. He had come to understand that when he got older, and feeling like he should act the part for now, the blond offered an excuse to his old man.

"Umm… I'm still recovering, Dad."

"Well, as long as you're not depressed about it, I'm good." With that, Minato walked towards the kitchen, escaping Naruto's clutches. "I'll be making lunch now. If you have any recommendations, feel free."

"A-Anything's fine."

The blond adult mumbled something under his breath and disappeared from Naruto's sight. The blond fell back on the sofa, and finally the reality of what was before him had hit him. The confused man's eyes roamed the place whilst his hands touched the nearby cushions as if trying to affirm their existence. He could do nothing but accept it; by whatever means that had transgressed, he was back in time. To his old town. His old house. And – from the look on that mirror – his old self of seventeen years old.

Oh shit.

* * *

It took a while for his brain to remove the shock and accept this new reality. Naruto felt his heart race as he sat down on the dining table, watching his father put the dishes down. He didn't know if it was alright for him to talk to his father about all this or not. Would he believe him, or would he think it was some side effect of Sakura's rejection? Thinking about it now, when he was younger and had gotten rejected, what did he do then? The question flew out of his head when Minato spoke to him.

"Kakashi-sensei says that you've improved on your study, that's good."

The name of his old chemistry teacher rung clearly. Naruto's memory of the male wasn't too clear as he didn't interact much with the man. Actually, what he remembered was that he was a little creepy. Kakashi always had an eye-patch on and clung to his homeroom teacher – Iruka-san – more than needed. Naruto couldn't recall the relationship Kakashi-sensei had with his father to warrant commenting on his studies directly to the old blond, but he allowed these minor details to trail off.

Naruto hummed as a safe-reply."Uhumm…"

"So, are you going to go today?"

Puzzled, Naruto was quick to reply. "Go? Where to?"

Minato frowned and replied. "You sure you're okay? To the course, of course. Yesterday you ditched, and I don't think you should do it tonight. Even if you're not feeling like it, it's better to go. Think of it as a sort of distraction."

The gentle smile that followed made Naruto's heart ache with pain. He really did miss his father. He returned the smile and nodded. "I'll do that. Don't worry."

With that they continued their lunch. Naruto helped doing the dishes then retreated to his old room. It was the same as he'd remembered, with scattered messes all around. His old plushie, Kyuubi, was lying on his desk, and Naruto moved to pick up the nine-tailed fox. Beaming, he remembered it was an old birthday present his deceased mother had given him during the blond's fifth birthday, and he still cherished the fox. Clutching it tightly, the blond sat on his bed. He gave his room a glance and his mind raced with questions.

Was there a reason for him to be back here now? Was God giving him another chance to redo his life? Was there actually such a thing – a second chance on life? Currently, his life as he knew it was filled with nothing but work. It wasn't an awful one; Naruto enjoyed the things going on for him. Besides, the new addition in, Sasuke, was making it a little bit more interesting. If the reason wasn't an internal prayer his subconscious had made, why was he in this timeline?

Putting Kyuubi down, the blond stood up, headed to the bathroom and decided to get ready for the course, as thinking of a dead-end tale was never his strong point.

* * *

The streets were different, some buildings were gone – not build yet – some were newer than he remembered. The trees were different as well, the air around him felt clean and calm. It was really his hometown of nine years ago. Naruto allowed a peaceful smile to show on his face and taking a left turn, the teen came face to face with a hidden door. He checked the paper with the directions in his hands, and the words of Konoha Teaching Center were displayed in bright green neon. He slid the entrance open and made his presence known to the receptionist.

"Good evening."

A woman wearing glasses, seemingly in her forties replied to his salute with gentle eyes. "Good evening, Uzumaki-kun. How are you feeling?"

"Fine…?" He blinked at the odd greeting.

"Your father informed us yesterday that you were down with the flu, and that's why you weren't able to attend."

The blond rubbed the back of his head, already putting two and two together. He bowed to her and thanked her for her concern, assuring that he was completely nursed back to full health. The woman beamed and gestured for him to go inside.

"You're early though."

Nodding his thanks again, Naruto walked in. From the little information he could gather about the place, it was an educational center. People used it for training in different fields as well as a language center. The place wasn't that big, but it had a strong reputation, mostly because all the teachers were an A-list individuals. Naruto didn't remember the place all that much, and thinking about it, when his father mentioned the _'course'_ , it took him a while to recall.

He remembered going there every evening for two months, and when his grades were on track, he stopped going. He couldn't remember anything beside that. It was a place of vague impact. Nothing to imprint on memory. Naruto pushed the door where he guessed his old class was and entered. Indeed, there was no one in. He really was early. The clock read seven thirty, but the class usually started eight sharp. He thought people would come a bit early, but apparently this presumption was wrong.

The blond put his bag at the chair further back and simply looked around the place. Nothing was coming to reminiscence again, yet there was a foreign feeling telling him that this place was precious.

When the clock hit seven forty-five, students started gathering. By eight sharp the class was almost full. Naruto grinned to himself as a couple of people came to greet him. He was astonished to remember every single one of them, and he greeted them with enthusiasm, thanking them for their wishes of good health. Not a minute later, as the last person left his side, the door opened.

As the blond watched who had walked in, his eyes grew wider. Standing in the place where the teacher should stand was none other than Sasuke. Same height, same built, and the same unearthly air around him. Even his hair stuck to the back the same way. Naruto blinked a couple of times to try and clear his vision, but the raven-haired individual was still standing there. He swallowed sharply.

"Alright, I see everyone's present. Uzumaki-san," Naruto jolted when the kid he'd rescued in the rain called his name with a voice filled with nothing but authority and strength. "I've received news of your illness; I hope you're fine to join us tonight?"

The blond felt his tongue tie in knots. He didn't know how to answer, simply nodding with a lame, "Yes."

"Good," Sasuke stated simply. "You can come to my office afterwards; I'll give you a mini-lecture about what you have missed. For now, try not to get lost and understand as much as you can, alright?"

Again, all that Naruto could do was nod lamely. The person who looked so much like the Sasuke in his reality turned his back to him and started writing on the big black board. The teen couldn't concentrate on anything he was being taught as his head was a mess inside. He felt stuck in a paradox. How and why? His memory said nothing about Sasuke teaching him, and as much as he tried to remember who his old teacher was, he couldn't. It was like trying to remember life as an infant.

Was Sasuke also given a second chance? But the raven-haired teen didn't look anything different… Shouldn't the effect of time-travel – if that what had really happened – change him to a younger version? Or maybe, it was different for Sasuke. Maybe everyone got a different experience. Just because he was back into his old body didn't mean that Sasuke was as well. So… did this affect others, as well? Could he find his doctor friend back in time?

He moaned… everything was all over the place. Nothing of this made any sense to him.

The blond stopped his train of thoughts, in the first place, he wasn't one hundred percent sure that this person was indeed Sasuke. Maybe it was someone who looked really, really, _really_ like him. He did watch a TV show one time about two people looking alike, without having any relation to each other. So maybe this incident was something similar.

Someone who looked like his Sasuke, certainly, but was another being altogether.

Yes, he could be seeing Sasuke's double or something like that. So… how could he make sure? A silly idea came to his mind and Naruto decided to go with it. He took a deep breath, steadied his heart and shouted loudly.

" **SASUKE**!"

The whole class stopped at his cry, the blond cringed, he wasn't intending for his voice to be that high. The black haired teacher turned around when the class exploded in laughter. Naruto blinked at the sudden reaction.

" _'Sasuke'_? When did you get so close to Mr. Uchiha, Naruto-san?" a classmate near him remarked.

"First-name basses after only a couple of weeks, so brave~!" another teased from the front row.

Similar comments and 'woo's' filled the small room, and Naruto rubbed the back of his head embarrassed. He didn't even have a clear explanation to stop his colleagues from ridiculing him. A clap from the board got everyone's attention. Naruto raised his eyes to come in contact with clear black ones.

"Uzumaki-san, if you have something to ask, I'd prefer you address me as Mr. Uchiha. We're not in a position to use first names with each other. Please, do refrain from shouting in my classroom, understood?"

The death glare that followed shushed every last sound in the room, Naruto gulped nervously and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good, now let's get back to class."

Everyone continued what they were doing as if nothing had happened. While Naruto sighed in relief, his brain continued in circles. That person was indeed called ' Sasuke', 'Uchiha Sasuke' to be exact. His Sasuke didn't give him a clear last name for himself, so Naruto wasn't sure if they were the same person or not, but how many people could have the same first name and also the same face?

His brain reckoned that it couldn't be a lot.

* * *

Naruto sat down and the man – or teenager – called Uchiha Sasuke sat in front of him. The teacher's lounge wasn't that big, but it was organized. The cool AC surrounded them, and Naruto allowed himself time to watch his supposed 'sensei' finish the papers in front of him to pay him full attention. The blond took the time to analyze and was astonished at the remarkable resemblance. It felt like he was looking Sasuke in the face.

The same paleness; the straight face and small lips, the high cheekbones that gave more edge to the handsome face. This time's Sasuke had the same aura as his one, a cool mysterious aura, attracting him to get closer. That pale nose wriggled slightly in dissatisfaction when Uchiha Sasuke seemingly found a sentence he didn't like. Naruto caught himself smiling, it reminded him of a time where his Sasuke was having a bad dream, his nose had wriggled in the same exact notion. The similarities were astonishing.

All this was too strange. Naruto's emotions were in a mess, but being beside this person gave him a sense of calm. The blond felt a headache form at the confusion. Alas… his hand _itched_. God how much he wanted to reach over and grab that hand, secured it in his grasp and hope this all to be a bad dream. He wished to wake up to the sound of his Sasuke, telling him that he should be up since he had overslept.

Blinking back to his current reality, the blond heaved a sigh. He looked at his hand and back to the other male's... he wanted to affirm with his touch if this was really his Sasuke or another. Strong black pearls looked at Naruto suddenly, and the blond darted his eyes embarrassed. While he couldn't see it, a smirk decorated those thin lips. Naruto's attention was pulled back to the source of his agony when that sharp voice hit his drums.

"So, what was all that back there? Why did you shout my name like that?"

Naruto felt his heart race; he steadied himself and gave a reply that he thought was good enough. "I was half out of it, sorry. It won't happen again."

"Hmm…" Sasuke mused. "So you shout your teachers' names when you're out of it?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

This person was smart. Naruto had to tread carefully or he'd be found out. "It was nothing, forget it."

"Well that _'nothing'_ has interrupted my class, so I won't. Now, stop dancing around and just tell me, what made you shout my name like that?" The raven stared Naruto down.

"You know, you're really annoying," Naruto countered feeling a little irritated. "I already apologized for it and said it won't happen again. Why are you insisting on prying?"

"…"

The air seemed to tense up a bit and the blond sighed. This wasn't how he wanted this conversation to go. The raven looked like the curious type, and he was probably wondering why one of his students suddenly did something out of the blue like that. Besides, being the oldest here, he presumed, he should be more in control. Naruto groaned out a reply.

"I wanted to make sure. You look like someone I know, someone I met recently. You both have similar features; I wanted to see if you also have the same name."

Sasuke raised a brow at the odd explanation; a part of him started believing he was dealing with an idiot. "Putting the fact that you already know my name aside – I properly introduced myself the first night I taught you, you could have waited after class was over to ask me or a classmate, if you've forgotten."

The blond rolled his eyes, he could have done all those things, but in that moment, he was too caught up in his own thoughts to think anything thoroughly.

"Can you just let this go?" Naruto pleaded. "I told you the reason, stop interrogating me."

The raven smirked. "Reasoning with idiots is my hobby."

"You really are annoying."

A book was pushed onto his face, the teacher before him clarified. "Chapter three, you have to read that tonight."

Naruto thrusted an eyebrow up. "I thought you were going to teach me the lecture."

"I'm not that free." He was rejected rather flatly. "And you seem quite healthy, so do it yourself."

Sure enough, his cover-up lie didn't go undetected to that smart teen. Naruto looked at the book, and really, it wasn't that big of a deal. He could get all those things inside his head in less than half an hour, but he was still unsatisfied with the way he was being treated.

"You do realize you're the one who said to come here to catch up?" Naruto questioned.

"So?"

"So if you weren't going to teach me –"

"It was when I felt you needed to be taught," The annoyed raven cut him off. "But the _'you'_ right now doesn't need me in anything."

Naruto blinked at the odd sentence. He wanted to counter, but the opposing male started packing his bag, and before he could register what happened, Naruto was all alone in the lounge.

* * *

Naruto sighed and adjusted the tie on his neck. His old school uniform fit his torso perfectly, but a yawn escaped his lips as he treaded slowly to his high school. Inside, he was actually looking forward to seeing his old friends. The old gang. The last time they were all gathered had been close to a year ago, and everyone was working in different areas and different countries. It would be nice to meet them once more.

Naruto felt a smile tug at his lips the minute his feet set course on the familiar ground; he caught sight of his old friends from the corner of his eyes, hanging out by the big Sakura tree on the entrance. As presumed, they were all back to their young selves. Sakura's pink hair was still reaching her back, strung in a high ponytail for all to see, taking up her usual position beside Ino and arguing about who would be the killer in the mystery drama they followed.

Next he sighted Sabaku Gaara, his redhead best friend. Naruto really missed the male. The last time he'd seen him was when they got together for drinks in which he was telling him about his transfer overseas. The redhead had his trademark headphones hung coolly on his neck, still lacking his eyebrows, and the blond chuckled. A distinct memory of when they were drunk and Gaara decided that shaving his eyebrows was the next big thing came to explain the lack of them.

His redheaded bestie had his attention stolen by their class representative, Hyuuga Neji. The dark brown-haired beauty with his lilac eyes was a sight to behold. He understood the way Gaara was charmed. Yeah, it was nice to get back in time.

Naruto waved as he approached them, he greeted like nothing was wrong but the minute he was in their midst, the air got super quiet. He sweat-dropped.

"Umm… is there something wrong?"

Sakura was the first to approach him; her sheepish eyes were filled with uncertainty. "N-Naruto-kun, are you alright?"

He blinked at her strange question and nodded. "Peachy, why?"

"Umm, no reason, if you're fine, it's good."

The rest seemed to share her sentiments, however, the blond wasn't about to let himself be shrouded in more mystery.

"Wait, what's wrong? Why the sudden enquiry about my health?"

They exchanged odd looks then Sakura replied him. "You don't remember? The day before yesterday… when I…"

She trailed off and he was finally able to catch her point. He had forgotten about her rejection. And from the looks of it, their friends knew all about it. Naruto honestly couldn't remember how the rejection had taken effect; the memory was again vague to him. But he knew he was upset about it when he was young. Probably took a while to recover fully.

Sakura was the perfect friend, closer to him than anyone, she was the one who held all of his secrets and was always there to offer a helping hand. Yeah, being friends suited both of them very much. He offered her a smile and ruffled the hair she hated to be touched.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'm really alright. I love the relationship we have right now. You're someone precious to me and I never want to lose you. So please, continue to be in my life from now on."

Tears came to her eyes soon after his words. She quickly hugged his bones to dust. The girl was obviously feeling very stressed about rejecting him. The blond knew how hard it must have been for her, and hugging her back, Naruto allowed his princess to cry on his chest as much as she liked. He hoped for a bright smile to grace her beautiful features afterwards.

His wish was granted a few minutes later. Wiping her face with a handkerchief, she nodded. "Me too, I want to always be in your life, and for you to always stay in mine. Promise?"

She exchanged her pinkie, an old habit they didn't grow out of, and Naruto happily obliged. "Promise."

As the gang returned back to their joyful atmosphere, Naruto tagged close to the guys and watched as the redhead tapped him on the shoulder.

"Are you really okay?" He inquired.

Confused, Naruto responded, "Yeah. You thought I was faking it?"

"Well, you had liked her since kindergarten," Gaara reasoned. "Excuse me for questioning that one day you would change your heart."

Naruto nodded. Logically, it would take him a month or so to heal a broken heart – if not years – but the problem lied in that his heart wasn't broken; it was confused as hell, but not broken. He offered his friend a realistic reply to his situation.

"Of course I'm not one hundred percent okay, but I'll get there sooner or later. Besides, you saw how miserable Sakura-chan looked; I couldn't allow her to remain like that."

"You're so nice to girls, always." The long-haired brunet called Neji commented, enrolling in their conversation. "That's a gentleman trait; never lose it."

The blond sheepishly smiled. "You flatter me, Neji. If we're talking about a gentleman, no one can compare to you."

Lilac eyes got gentle. "Thank you, Naruto. It's a testimony I hold dear."

Before they got to class, Naruto's eyes caught a familiar silhouette passing them by. His blue eyes shined with wonder when he recognized that chicken-butt hair. What puzzled him to no end was that he was wearing the same uniform as them. So… a student?

Quickly halting his friends, Naruto grabbed Gaara's arm and pointed to the back of the Uchiha on his mind. "Wait, who is that!?"

They both looked at him with strange eyes, but Neji was the first to answer. "What do you mean? Uchiha Sasuke-kun?"

"Yes! Why is he here? And wearing our uniform as well!" the blond exclaimed.

"Naruto, you sure you're okay? Right now, I'm really starting to wonder about that." Gaara mocked with a straight face.

"I'm fine just answer me. Is he a student here?"

"Yes," Neji answered, ignoring the weird mood Naruto had entered. "He's in our class and has been there for a semester now. Did you forget? He's the reason Sakura-chan rejected you. She's crushing over him, as is most of the school."

His features frowned more and more. What was going on? How could Sasuke be a student and a teacher at the same time? He'd thought the male was some kind of a genius who skipped some classes enabling him to teach at the center, but now finding out that he was an ordinary student, his confusion knew no bounds.

"Sorry guys, you go on ahead, there's something I need to do."

With that, he bolted after the short haired raven, leaving behind nothing but confusion to veil his situation.

"What just happened?"

Neji shrugged at this best friend. "God only knows."

* * *

"A student and a teacher both at the same time. How busy are you, Sensei?"

Naruto caught up behind the male, catching his breath, and smirked at him. Sasuke pushed the button to get his cool drink from the vending machine and serenely answered, "I don't need to hear that from someone who skips with a sick pretense."

The blond rolled his eyes. "Are you a Capricorn or something?"

"Hn."

"Won't you get in trouble if the school found out?"

"Are you threatening me?" Sasuke raised a brow.

Naruto scowled at the tone. "You know, for one, you have an amazingly pessimistic personality. I'm asking a simple question now, how come you jump to threats?"

The pale male took his iced-coffee and started walking towards their supposedly classroom, Naruto toeing.

"When someone has leverage over another, they usually see the path where they can take advantage of the situation. That's human nature."

"No, it's not." The blond countered. "That's awful people's nature. Moreover, even if I were to try and exploit this situation, there's nothing that you could offer."

 _'_ _Besides information on this messed up situation I'm in'_ his inner mind opposed.

Sasuke took a right turn and entered the classroom. "Alright. Then leave me alone."

"I don't want to."

A scowl was facing him. "Why?"

Grinning, Naruto bared full teeth. "You intrigue me."

"…Because I teach?"

"How old are you?" he retorted.

"How is that an answer?" Sasuke snapped.

"It's not. I want to know."

"None of your business." The raven growled.

With that, Sasuke gave him the cold shoulder, brushing against him coldly as he made his way to his seat, once again ending their conversation without giving Naruto a chance to halt him. The blond rubbed the back of his head and allowed the other his peace. A feeling told him that the key to this mystery lied with Sasuke, he just needed to be patient enough to get it.

* * *

His friends chatted about nothing but silly things, and it gave Naruto a sense of comfort. He liked the ease their teen years were giving them. He watched as the girls parted from them, heading towards the girls' changing room while he followed his male friends the opposite direction. They were currently in the public pool, and the air wasn't cold or hot; perfect for a swim. Ino, the blonde cheerleader and Sakura's best female friend, was the one who hauled all of them into it.

Naruto changed into his set of orange trunks and headed to the indoor pool. Not a minute later, he was followed by a yawning redhead, and Gaara scowled at the empty pool.

"Really… it's not the season," he commented.

"Yeah, but it's better this way. It feels like we have it all to ourselves." Naruto commented, happiness evident in his tone.

"Hm."

Two seconds later, they were followed by Neji, Kiba, a groaning Shikamaru, and Shino – who for some strange reason continued wearing his sunglasses indoor.

The girls were already making themselves comfortable if the sounds of laughter were anything to go by. Naruto located Sakura hitting a random ball across the net set up in the pool, accompanied by both TenTen and Ino. Hinata – they shy princess and Neji's cousin – was sitting elegantly across of them, a gentle air was surrounding her. Naruto always admired the silent beauty; he had a hunch that if Sakura wasn't in this world, that girl would have been the target of his crush.

His mind was brought back to reality when a splash of water hit his body. The blond blinked and looked accusingly at tan hands. Kiba smirked at him.

"FIGHT!"

The minute that word resonated, all males went into the pool and started splashing each other, randomly forming alliances against each other. Some grouped with the girls, some went solo, and some chose to team up in pairs. Water guns were used, and water balloons as well as some random items cropped up. The pool was filled with amusement in a matter of seconds.

Naruto found himself really enjoying the atmosphere. A tap on his shoulder had him drenched with a water balloon, and the culprit no other than his best friend, Sakura. The girl grinned daring him to chase her. In less than a second, they were running around the pool pursuing each other, just like small children.

"You know, there's something different about Naruto-kun." Hyuuga Neji reasoned from the other side of the pool.

"What do you mean?" Asked the other party.

Neji lifted himself up and sat beside Gaara on the wooden chairs stationed for rest. His brown locks came to be locked in a bun high above, securing them from any stray water drops. As the bright eyed male spoke, Gaara tried not to stare at him.

"He seems more mature. Ever since Sakura-chan's rejection, it's like he changed somehow."

"Of course he did," The redhead spoke. "He had to cope with the situation."

"No, I don't mean that type of change…" The brunet hummed slightly before continuing, "It feels like he's a different person. The way he speaks and carries himself. I know he's Naruto, but I just can't shake the feeling that he's more… you know, in tune with himself. As if he's grown ages in a day."

Gaara looked at Naruto as he slipped and fell to the pool and tried to see maturity in that idiotic grin but failed. Whatever the handsome male was seeing, his eyes didn't.

"I'm sorry I don't see it. He feels like the same old Naruto to me."

Humming once again, the brunet mused to his partner, "Maybe I'm reading too much into it."

"Maybe." Gaara allowed his pale hand to touch a stray lock that – against Neji's wishes – was affected by the gruesome waters. "You're coming to my house today?"

Neji's eyes dimmed. "No can do. I need to go with Hinata-chan to a family gathering."

Knowing how the other felt about his family, Gaara spoke gently. "All the more reason to. Ditch them."

"I wish I could." Neji sighed.

"Sure you can. Just come with me and let them burn." Gaara offered with a smirk.

"Sadly, if I did that, the one who will burn would be Hinata-chan," Neji softly commented. "I can't do that to her."

Gaara removed his hand from the other's hair and pouted. "Fine. Suit yourself."

It was silly; he was being childish, but the way it felt like Neji was putting the beautiful girl before him made him crass. Jealousy really wasn't his thing, and he knew perfectly well how much Neji thought of his cousin. She was a little sister that he wanted to protect, not a love object. Regardless, the fires of jealousy knew no reason.

The eyebrow-less male groaned aloud when Neji's hand came to grasp his. Without looking the other's way, he hissed.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" A soft voice chirped beside him.

"Trying to coax me."

Gaara could hear the way Neji allowed his hair to loosen from its hold. He knew the other was trying to make him look. He loved Neji's hair; loved staring at it, smelling it, and the best, moving his fingers inside of it. It wasn't fair. The Hyuuga was dangling that card so close to his face, his inner desire was floating up.

When pale fingers came to play with his, Gaara hissed again. "I said stop it."

Neji put his mouth to the redhead's ear then whispered. "And if I said no?"

Gaara faced his teasing friend and sighed. He cupped those pale cheeks in both hands and gently but harshly nipped on Neji's right cheek. The brunet's eyes widened then he chuckled in amusement – which was a little bit hard seeing how his cheek was being a hostage.

"What are you two doing?"

They looked at the intelligent Shikamaru with delight. Gaara let go of his hold just to answer. "I'm biting him."

"He's biting me." Neji affirmed.

"Why?"

When the only answer he got was the redhead going back to biting Neji's cheek, the black haired male decided that it was best to leave those two to their weirdness and move on. In fact, he could feel how troublesome the situation would be if he inquired more. He wasn't a man who liked to be troubled. Throughout his life, he lived with one rule, to stay out of any business that wasn't his.

So far, that rule gave him peace of mind for sixteen counted years.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw his close friends, Kiba and Shino, eating something. They seemingly had finished playing like monkeys, and he made his way towards them. In a swift move, he snatched the melon-bun from Kiba's inattentive hands.

"HEY! I'm eating that!" The dog-lover barked at him. "Give it back!"

"No," Shikamaru objected. "You ate enough, judging by that."

His finger pointed to the trashcan nearby, having five wrappings of melon-bun thrown in. Kiba grimaced but continued yelling.

"Who says I was the one who ate them!? What's your proof?"

"Shino, did he eat them or not?"

Kiba shot a death-glare his best friend's way, but luckily Shino's thick sunglasses sheltered him. The tallest of the three looked from his best friend to Shikamaru and stuck his tongue at Kiba.

"He did. All of them. I testify."

In a second, Kiba was on his tails. "YOU FUCKING LIAR!"

Again, Shikamaru was watching in amusement as the two started a game of tag. Kiba was fuming with curse words aimed at destroying whatever bond he shared with Shino, while the other simply ran away, surprisingly easily dodging all of Kiba's punches and kicks along the way. It just showed how long he had been dealing with the other and how much he read him well. Yeah… friends were always fun to be around.

* * *

Naruto combed his hair backwards and took a deep breath. He waved goodbye to Gaara and headed towards his house. It was nighttime, and a yawn escaped his lips. It had been a while since the blond had strolled around his old hometown, so he took a little detour. His legs came to a halt beside a busy shopping district. He sat on one of the benches available and practiced his favorite hoppy – watching people.

He noted a couple, the woman was chatting about a blouse she bought, the man with her looking bored to death. Still, though, he listened attentively, showing Naruto how much he treasured the one he was walking with. Three high school girls were loudly discussing how handsome some rock band was, disturbing the general vicinity. A small argument about who was the hottest – the bass player or the lead singer – caused a fracture to happen between them. Naruto enjoyed spending his night analyzing.

Naruto's eyes roamed the cafés and restaurants nearby, his stomach grumbling at the sight. He always liked the idea of having his own place; a cozy restaurant where he'd serve delicious foods – probably noodles – and warm people's hearts with it. He never knew how this wish had slipped away from him. His life as he knew it was empty of any color, the company he was working for didn't even deal with anything close to the food industry. The blond sighed, choosing not to dwell on the past. His azure orbs changed direction and went a little wide, in a split second, his legs moved.

Every thought froze in front of the silhouette of one Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto watched as the raven haired male made his way through the crowd. Elegantly and rather harshly, he strode purposefully onward, his steady steps telling a story. This story, however, was not a tale that Naruto was able to comprehend. Even though the street was crowded as hell, the blond was able to keep a steady tail on his prey. Sasuke took a right turn, a left, and then two rights. Naruto followed. Not less than half an hour later, Naruto noticed that they were getting further away from his home and the train station.

He looked at his watch, time reading ten at night. He had two choices, follow Sasuke or go back home. The last train was about to leave. He wouldn't make it if he continued following. He really wanted to know what the other was up to, though. Checking his bag, the blond was relieved that the money there was enough to secure a taxi back. Assured that he would find a way back home, he continued his pursuit.

Not too long after, Sasuke came to a stop. Naruto hid quickly behind a nearby corner. He had visual on the other, but Sasuke couldn't see him. That's why, when his name was called all too clearly, every cell in him cringed at being caught.

"Uzumaki Naruto. Step out."

He had a choice again. Run away without showing himself and deny this had ever happened, or allow himself to be caught. With a smile that set his insides on fire, he chose the latter. Raising both of his hands as if caught in a crime, the blond surrendered.

"I was very careful; how did you find out?"

Black orbs rolled at him. "You're one hundred years too early to tail me. So, what do you want?"

" _Sensei_ ," Naruto stressed, allowing his hands ease. "You're interesting."

Sasuke kept a keen stare at him. His blackish coat hung tightly to his nice frame, giving the handsome young man more allure. "…"

"You want me to expose all my cards, but you won't do the same in return. That's not fair." Naruto spoke after much silence caused him to jitter.

"I don't remember asking you anything. It's you who keeps involving yourself in my business." Sasuke flatly responded.

Taking closer steps to the calm teen before him, the Uzumaki chirped. "Because you interest me. There's something that draws me in and I'm intent on finding out what."

"Be careful," Sasuke warned, "The flame draws the moth to its death."

"I take it you're my flame?"

"…Or your death." Sasuke retorted.

The distance between them was decreasing as the blond teen made his way to the other. Naruto walked closer and Sasuke didn't move away. The cold night air blew a couple of times, but neither paid it any attention, the sounds of cars vanished in the silence of the night, giving a perfect setting for them. Naruto was sure he knew nothing of the place he was at. As the corner of his eyes caught glimpse of the streets, he made sure he was in an unfamiliar territory. Yet, being the brave stud he believed himself to be, he continued moving closer until Sasuke's breath was audible to his ears.

Without fear, he extended his hand to the other male, cupping a pale cheek. "You're not running away, sensei?"

"There's nothing to run away from."

"You sure about that?"

Before Sasuke could respond, Naruto closed the distance with a kiss. It was soft and shallow. A simple lip on lip touch. He tapped those thin lips with his. Trying to connect and maybe find some answers, but the only thing it left him with was a lingering feeling of familiarity. Something that ignited in him another series of unanswered questions.

The second time his lips came closer for a redo, Sasuke spoke, covering Naruto's lips with his palm. "So you're seeking my body?"

This halted the blond and he frowned. He looked the unfazed male in the eyes and gave said _'body'_ a check. His heart certainly leapt at the prize, but it was different. The feelings inside of him were undefined; he wasn't sure why he felt the need to get close and touch. Naruto didn't understand why there was a pull that drew him to this Sasuke. He still couldn't trust the teacher fully, yet on a level, he believed it was okay to let him in.

His mouth opened then closed, repeating itself a couple of times. Naruto's brain was analyzing and over-thinking; coming with choices and decisions, and yet none of them seemed to lead him to a wining argument. He didn't want to reveal all his cards, but at the same time, it felt like Sasuke knew something. His face twisted into a troubled expression and before he knew it, his hold on the teacher's face loosened.

Seemingly, the raven got bored. He turned around and started walking. Having nothing better to do, the blond followed.

"Why are you following me?"

The question was direct, Naruto couldn't answer it, so he kept quiet, but his legs continued their journey. They walked for about another half an hour until Sasuke stopped before a big gate. He took out a card and swiped it over a screen of a black looking monitor. Naruto watched in awe as the gate opened ever so slowly to them.

Sasuke nonchalantly walked inside, ignoring the big blond dog that was behind him. Naruto considered it permission to come in. He ran behind the raven-haired male, unable to keep his mouth from dropping at the beautiful garden they walked into. The ground was covered in crystal grey tiles; three steps separated him from what appeared to be heaven on earth. The garden lights shone brightly formulating a path surrounded by greenery. It was a scene right out of a magazine.

The smell of flowers filled the vicinity, taking Naruto's mind momentarily away from his thoughts. By the time he finished gazing, he found the object of his interest had moved a good couple of feet away from him. Not wishing to be left behind, the teen made his way right beside Sasuke, ignoring how deep inside of him, he felt right at home.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. Look forward to the next chapter, everyone! Reviews are welcomed. ^_^**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes**

 **Sorry for the delay, I promise next chapter would be faster lol. Thanks for reading. Also a great big thanks to my wonderful beta, NikkiCross, for her great work on the chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

Naruto bowed back to the maid that offered him the drink. He still wasn't used to being treated like royalty – unlike the man opposite of him. He spared the room they were occupying a look and his eyes glittered. The room was made into a deep blue sea décor; the effort of playing with cobalt was visible, and it was a perfect combination of quirky and inviting. The blend of textures such as the concrete coffee table, leather sofa, and soft velvet punch-button chair all around him created an edgy juxtaposition. While the palette of blue, tan leather, grey and black was striking and sophisticated it gave an urban, metropolitan feel. Naruto liked the living room design to say the least.

Sasuke kept his cool, signaling the maid off with his hand while nonchalantly sipping at the hot chocolate he was offered. Naruto felt his mouth twitch into a smile – it was a little cute to see the proud Sasuke so into hot chocolate.

"What?" the raven snapped.

The curt question made the blond shrug. "Nothing, I just never took you for a sweets loving guy."

The young sensei rolled his eyes and defended the beverage. "No one hates hot chocolate."

"Well," the blond grinned. "You're right about that."

"So why were you following me?" Sasuke asked, the question piquing his interest.

"You really don't let up, do you?"

"Not when I am not answered directly." Sasuke put the mug down and scrutinized on the blond. "What are you hiding?"

Naruto took a look around at the beautiful room, evading the orbs prying him for answers. He wanted to stay silent, but somehow he felt he'd maxed that card out. The blond's train of thought was about to take flight again when a loud thud redirected his attention. Sasuke had somehow fallen off his armchair. By a strike of comedic wonder, the smart male had fallen head first into the ground. Baffled by what happened, Naruto was beside him in a second.

"Are you okay?"

The raven-haired male propped himself on his knees and nodded, clutching his head. "Yes, I just got dizzy. Nothing big."

Naruto's brows furrowed together as he helped the male to his feet. "Yeah, probably all that sugar you're ingesting."

"People faint from hypoglycemia, not hyperglycemia you idiot."

"Say what you want," Naruto said haughtily. "I blame the sugar."

The teacher pulled his hand free and returned to his seat. Naruto watched him go as he didn't like the way he was being treated with but allowed it to slide. This time though, he chose to sit in the chair closest to the other. Feeling like he wasn't stable enough to be left alone, Sasuke simply rolled his eyes at the gesture.

"So," Naruto was first to speak this time, "This is your house?"

Sasuke paused his motion and nodded. "…Yes."

"You're rich?" the curious blond asked.

"I have enough."

"So, rich." he deadpanned.

The raven haired male scowled and corrected the path of the conversation. "I didn't bring you hear to discuss my financial situation, I want to know what's happening with you. Why are you behaving so strangely? We have never interacted in anything. Our lives were separate, but over night you show this interest in me. What happened? Why are you so intrigued?" When Sasuke saw the other's mouth start to move, he added quickly. "I'm sure I'm not the only person out there who's in school and gives lessons elsewhere, so you can't use that excuse."

Cringing at the rebuke that was stolen from him, Naruto hummed. "Why do you want to know so bad?"

A thin black brow was raised. "Why do you want to hide it so bad?"

"You know, there's this saying 'ignorance is bliss', have you heard of it?"

"I don't like being in the shadows." Sasuke shrugged off his words.

"Even if I told you the truth," The blond teen started. "You won't believe me."

Sasuke took hold of his hot – now slightly cooler – chocolate and countered, "You'd be amazed what I can believe."

The blond stayed silent after that. In fact, he couldn't think of anything more to say, and continuing to evade resulted in nothing. He knew that Sasuke was the key, but would telling him pay in anything? If he were to open his mouth and blurt the truth, chances are, he'd be called a lunatic or Sasuke would think he was dodging him again. However, a small part argued that a positive side might shine, Sasuke might believe him. So then what? What if he believed him? Does that mean he'd be closer to answering the mysteries that he was faced with? Give answers to the riddle of his time?

The voice inside that rotted for telling Sasuke answered, a maybe.

Naruto ruffled his hair. He really didn't know what to do, but one thing was clear; he had a choice. To tell and sound insane, or to keep Sasuke in the dark but potentially spare himself from an insane asylum. He spared a glance at the raven-haired male, but it didn't help. He had nothing. Naruto couldn't read anything from that poker face; the handsome man before him wasn't giving anything away. Naruto realized that it was all him now. There was a line, and he had to decide whether to cross or not. Sighing, he made his decision. He decided to trust Sasuke; decided to trust the same teen who had shared his heart with him that first night, and he would do it again – even if this wasn't his Sasuke.

Hopefully, this won't come biting him in the ass. Filled with optimistic thoughts, Naruto started.

"Hmm… okay. Fine, I give up! I'll tell you. I'm deciding this because I'm tired of overthinking everything. And maybe, just _maybe_ , you can even help me."

Sasuke sipped attentively at the cold chocolate and urged, "Carry on."

"So…" The blond trailed, trying to think of a good way to commence before sighing a good couple of times and officially beginning his tale. "I'm not who you think I am… well, I am, but I'm not. I am Uzumaki Naruto, yes, but… of a different age?" At the weird looks, he tried again knowing he wasn't making any sense. "I may sound like a crazy person but I'm not. I'm not the Uzumaki Naruto of this timeline, I came from the future."

"…From the future?"

The confusion was apparent. The blond knew he hadn't gotten across the other clearly, so he tried a third time. "Okay, listen, I was a normal twenty six year old salary man, and although I was fired, I lived a normal life. Then one day, I met _'you'_." Sasuke blinked at his words. "Well the _'you'_ who looks so much like you. To make this easier, we'd call the version of you whom I met in my timeline _'Sasuke-A'_ and you well, you," Naruto chuckled. "Sasuke-A, when I met him, he was battered in an ally outside my apartment building. I looked after him and we developed this sense of _closeness_. I still don't fully understand it, but he was warming up to me and I liked that. I liked him… and I think he liked me back, too."

The blond took a rest, recalling the days he'd spent with Sasuke. His Sasuke. Naruto's face regained a sense of comfort and he found the footing he'd lost.

"And?" The Sasuke before him urged a continuation, not liking the way he was being left out.

"And one night, you left something in my apartment. A black box. I touched it and I fainted. When I woke up, I was back in time as my seventeen year old self in my old house and my old neighborhood. No one around me seemed to have had the same experience as me. I thought that God was giving me another try to redo my life, to make it better, but then you appeared," Naruto paused and took a breath. "In the same image of the Sasuke I knew. I realized you were my teacher and my classmate. Honestly, I have no recollection of you ever existing. I tried thinking back to my old school days, but it comes blank. That's why I thought that maybe you also came from the future. Maybe you were _Sasuke-A_ , but we were having different experiences. Just because I reverted back to my old body, that doesn't mean you should do too. However, a lot of stuff isn't explained. If you were Sasuke-A, you should remember me, or at least sense me…"

Naruto trailed off. He finished his tale on that notion; feeling like this was territory he didn't want to venture into. The thought that this Sasuke was his Sasuke made a lot of questions come flying through his head, and Naruto didn't have the power or the energy to entertain them. The raven stayed silent, and Naruto gave him time to register this, praying the other didn't count all this as crazy talk and call the Looney den on him. Finally, after much time had passed, Sasuke opened his mouth and asked something unexpected.

"Okay, let's presume the things you said were the truth; that still doesn't clarify everything. Why did you kiss me? Your story doesn't highlight that we were in any romantic relations."

"…I think we would have, had nothing happened to me." Naruto added rather quietly.

Sasuke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He ingested the pieces of information given to him, bizarre as they may sound. His emotions were troubled, and a lot was going inside him. Thoughts that, if the person in front of him knew about, would send him running out the door. Something in Sasuke took pleasure at that reflection, and quickly he hushed his demons and concentrated. In the story that he had been told, there was one thing that he was sure had happened; traveling from the future. The blond wasn't lying. He was one to know. Sasuke realized he shouldn't show his cards so early in the game, so he twisted his features into a frown.

"You don't have to force yourself to believe me," The blond loudly spoke, seeing Sasuke's expression. "I know it's crazy, heck! If it hadn't happened to me, I wouldn't believe me!"

Sasuke looked him in the eyes and said. "It's not a case of believing you or not. I don't think you are lying to me. You honestly believe you came from the future, so I can't tell you that you didn't, but this is still impossible."

Naruto didn't like the words. It felt like Sasuke was telling him he had a mental illness where he believed stuff that hadn't happened.

"I don't like where you're going with this."

Sasuke stood up and called for a man to come – apparently the butler – and Naruto rolled his eyes at how rich the teen in front of him was. Gesturing to his guest, Sasuke asked the butler to arrange a room for him to stay at, and with that, Naruto was apparently staying the night. The blond man sighed. He still didn't know what was happening, but hopefully, telling Sasuke the truth was something good… even though the first reaction he got sent shivers down his spine.

* * *

Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes. He watched as he was dropped in front of his school gate, the driver paid him goodbye before leaving. The previous night was like an illusion to him. After he finished his conversation with the black haired teacher, he was escorted to a room in which he was too tired to do anything but sleep. He'd phoned his father about sleeping away, lying that he was at Gaara's. He sent the redhead a message to lie if his father was to contact him. He knew his best friend would do that for him in a blink of an eye. When he woke up, he found a clean change of clothes waiting for him. A maid brought him breakfast, and when he inquired about Sasuke's whereabouts, he was given a reply of uncertainty.

Needless to say, he didn't meet the teen. Looking at the school, the blond sighed and walked inside, heading to his classroom. The first to greet was none other than Gaara.

"What happened yesterday? Where did you go?"

Naruto smiled, fixing his bag over his shoulder. "Good morning to you too, sunshine. I was at a friend's house…"

"You should have told your dad that."

"He doesn't know him and I didn't want to go through details," Naruto hastily explained. "Thanks for covering for me."

The redhead returned to his headphones, seemingly bored with the conversation now. "Anytime."

Naruto sat on his assigned seat, his eyes were searching the classroom for Sasuke's presence, but there was nothing. First period, then second and third were done and the black haired male didn't show. Naruto scowled. How convenient it was that he'd skip when the blond wanted to meet him most. When recess came – after fourth period – his phone vibrated in his pocket. The blond picked it up and arched a brow at the odd message, it simply read,

' **Rooftops. Now.** '

Puzzled and a little bit curious, Naruto excused himself from his friends' company and headed to the roof. He flung the door open and took a step inside. The strong air blew at his hair, and Naruto had to close his eyes for a second at the bright sunlight. From the corner of his eye, he saw the silhouette of the person centering his current universe.

Marching towards the other male, the blond scowled at him. "You have my number?"

Surreal black pearls looked up at him. Sasuke put his phone back to his pocket and answered the intruding male. His voice was as calm and soothing as his posture. "I do."

"I thought we don't know each other."

"We don't," Sasuke commented. "I got your number on my own."

Naruto chose not to comment on that and asked, "Why did you skip?"

Sasuke allowed the air to play with his hair, giving Naruto a nice picture to save to memory. He gazed at the sky and answered softly. "I had more important things to tend to."

"…So? Why did you ask me here?"

The black haired male took Naruto's hand in his and directed him to the other side of the roof. The area there was quieter than their previous location – and less airy. He sat them down on the concrete floor and started talking.

"I need you to listen to me and understand what I'm about to say clearly. I hate idiots, but I hate repeating myself even more. So, I am going to only say this once." Sasuke spoke, evidence of annoyance visible in his tone.

The blond rolled his eyes. "Alright. What's wrong?"

"You didn't come from the future. That assumption of yours in incorrect." The teacher clarified. "You came from another world. A parallel universe to be exact."

Naruto blinked two times, he twirled the words inside his head and after a minute of silence asked. "…A parallel universe?"

"Yes. I know this because your presence disrupted the flow through this one. Henceforth, the Uzumaki Naruto that should have been alive is no longer. You two being together in the same universe causes a disassociation. You took his place causing the universe to expel him. Your universe is void and this one is full. The balance is disturbed."

It was like listening to a machine talking. Sasuke gave the information with no emotion behind them. As if he was reciting a chapter of a poem he'd memorized very well. Naruto was shocked to say the least, and his brain went to the bad habit of asking millions of questions and doubting everything that was told to him. What other Naruto? What universe? He came from the future, didn't he?

Upon seeing the dumbfounded look on the blond's face, Sasuke sighed.

"Even though I don't like repeating, you don't seem to understand me very well, so I'll explain it again. Listen."

Feeling distinctly like a fish out of water, Naruto nodded.

Shuffling through his back pocket, the Uchiha brought out a newspaper and gave it to Naruto. An article was highlighted in yellow, and the blond presumed he was meant to read that. In black capital letters, a small article was printed. It spoke of an unfortunate car accident involving a certain teen, a hit and run one. Naruto's eyes went wide upon seeing the image printed in there. The article mentioned how brutal the hit was, and that his death was quick and painless. They had no name, only patterned facial features, and dental records were mysteriously unavailable so no one was able to identify the poor soul. Naruto's eyes flashed to the written date. It was the same day he'd come to this universe.

"You see, this article is for the Uzumaki Naruto of this world. Like you noticed, he died the day you came here. This world refused the presence of two similar elements, and unfortunately, his fate was sealed when he was met with a deadly accident."

The blond looked with disbelieving eyes at the other. "This… this doesn't make sense."

"It does." Sasuke annoyingly stated. "I just explained it to you. You can't be that stupid. Here, for the last time, I have a theory. The black box you touched was a portal, connecting this world to your world, and probably to other worlds as well, but who knows. This world called out to you for some reason – hauled you to it. Without your knowledge, you took over Uzumaki Naruto's place. Right now this world is balanced, Uzumaki Naruto."

"But that means there's no Uzumaki Naruto in my own world."

Sasuke stood up, he looked at the vast sky before him and commented. "Who knows, maybe you coming here caused a hole in yours, so another Uzumaki Naruto of a different universe might be sucked to your own, etcetera."

Naruto tried to digest the theory but there were so many holes to count. "This doesn't explain anything. Why did this world chose me? Why kill its Uzumaki Naruto and not me? If the worlds were in perfect balance, my existence shouldn't be here... and," his eyes scrutinized on the black haired male having finally realized something else. "Who the hell are you?"

A smirk showed on Sasuke's face and proudly, he declared. "Took you long enough to ask."

* * *

An observer.

That's what Sasuke told him he was. Naruto bit at the cold ice cream in his hands. His teeth complained, but right now, he wanted something to cool the inner thoughts in him. Sasuke didn't elaborate more and didn't answer any other questions he had. He simply played his piece and left. Now, Naruto was faced with a choice; he could believe the black haired male or disregard him completely. Actually, he was more comfortable with the idea of coming from the future. It was better than coming from a parallel universe.

Did this universe have parallel universes? Can something so unbelievable be believed?

He snorted at his thoughts, much like coming from the future. This had a very small chance of being true. He felt a headache form and deceived himself into believing it to be a brain freeze from the ice-cream. Making a right turn, the gate to his house looked back at him. Naruto unlocked the door and walked inside. The house smelled nice, his father's cooking filling the vicinity. Smiling, he decided to put all this thinking to the back of his head, and went to the kitchen to greet his dad.

"Dad. Something smells nice." Naruto greeted.

"Naruto, I didn't hear you come in. When did you get back?"

Minato beamed at the sight of his son, he covered the meat stew he was preparing and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. Naruto released a loud sigh and banged his head on the kitchen table.

"Just now. Dad, I want to ask you something. Is there something different about me? Like… I'm not myself lately or something?"

Minato blinked at his son. He put a hand under his chin and commented. "Is this a new stage you're going through or something?"

"No… I just dunno," he let out an aggravated sound of frustration. "Everything's a mess!"

"Well, to be honest, you did change," The older blond man smiled at his son, trying to lift his spirits a little. "You became a little bit more focused. You feel more hmm…. Sane?" Minato sniggered a little before turning back to check his stew.

Naruto pouted to his dad. "Daaaaad, be serious!"

"I am. You're more logical and reasonable. Your emotional fits have decreased. You're more thoughtful now. You're still as messy as ever, but you listen when I ask you to do things. I don't need to repeat myself… a lot." Minato chuckled. "You're still my son. No matter how much you change, you'll always be someone I'm proud of."

The teen hated how Sasuke's previous words came to ring at his ears. He wasn't the Naruto of this world. Those words and that warm look, all these genuine emotions weren't directed at him… how sad. His dad wasn't his dad. His dad was still dead underground in his own universe. The blond shook his head, relinquishing the thoughts. When did he decide to believe what Sasuke had told him?! The feelings he was experiencing, the warmth that was provided for him. His eyes locked with his father's and Minato gave his messy blond locks a ruffle, before he went back to making the salad.

Yes, that affectionate hand wasn't fake. This was his father. Those were his friends, this was his hometown. He wasn't from another universe or anything; he was from this one! That something his heart was sure of. Naruto decided to believe in that!

Dinner was fast to finish, he ended up doing the dishes, and Naruto blocked thinking until he was done with that small task. The sound of the doorbell being rung had him wiping the water from his hands before tending to it. The joyful face of his old childhood friend made something in him feel ease. Naruto welcomed the pink haired female in and excused himself bringing her something to drink.

Sakura fixed her frilly black skirt and made herself home. Actually, she meant to come over sooner, but her schedule had kept her busy. It's been a while since she was inside the Uzumaki household, but it was still as welcoming as ever. The nice aroma – from the candles Minato-san loved to put around the house – filled her nose. She really missed hanging out here. Her jade eyes looked at her friend as he came from the kitchen, holding a tray with two glasses of what appeared to be orange juice. Naruto presented the beverage with a smile, and she took a sip.

"Sweet, just how I like it." She commented happily. "You remembered."

Naruto mimicked her smile. In his memories and until recently, his Sakura loved orange juice. She would always preach at him the health benefits of the drink, and the blond had learned to always give a deaf ear to her claims. "Never forgot."

"But did you squeeze it yourself? Somehow I find that hard to believe." The beautiful female teased.

Naruto shrugged. "Dad did a while ago. You were in luck that we have it."

"Figures." Sakura giggled. "You weren't cut for the kitchen since young. Remember when we were in fourth grade and you tried to blend me those pineapples? The results were catastrophic!"

As if to highlight her words, a memory flashed inside his head. He recalled a younger version of Sakura yelling with tears running down her eyes, he'd tried to blend said fruit but his shirt caught in the blending machine. A hospital visit was soon flickering to memory. Naruto smiled. He still had a scar where the blender had hit; it was one of his life's trophies. He considered himself Sakura's hero for a long time, and that memory – when she was bawling her eyes for him – highlighted how important he was to her. Naruto had some dark times in college and Sakura's presence always soothed it.

The blond gave her a smile. "Yeah, I remember."

The pink haired female looked her friend up and down and sighed. She summoned up her courage and started.

"Look Naruto-kun, you might not know this and, I'm not sure if it's alright to tell you now that I've rejected you – but you are… my hero, my knight in shining armor. I'm always brave because of you. I don't fear or get scared to try new things, to fall in love; because I know you'll always be beside me. You protect me and treat me like I'm a gem. This feeling, you have no idea how much I cherish it. I want you to know that this thing, _this friendship_ we have," She took hold of his hand. "It's a two way street. I'll always be here for you, no matter what… so, _trust m_ e."

She patted the rough, tan hand she held. Naruto felt something spark at her words, his heart throbbed and an image of the Sakura he knew flashed in his head. His doctor of a friend was always sharp, her instincts were dead on, and he couldn't hide anything from her even if he tried. Naruto had underestimated her younger version. A soft smile showed on his lips as his eyes looked straight into hers.

"How did you know there's something wrong?"

"I know you, Naruto-kun. You can lie to everyone but not to me. At the beginning, I thought you'd come to me by yourself, but you didn't. I figured you needed someone to remind you that you're not alone," She beamed, showing her beautifully aligned teeth. "So here I am, telling you straight out, you have someone on your side, so please, don't carry everything alone. Allow me some of your burden."

Just like that, it was all too easy to do. He poured his heart out. Told his story from the beginning 'till the end. It was so simple; the blond wondered why he hadn't done it before. Why didn't he tell his close friend from day one? If there was someone who would believe him without any conditions, it was Sakura. When his father died, she was there. When he failed subjects, she was there. When his heart was broken and he couldn't find the job he wanted, she was there. She was his family. He should have gone to her from the start.

By the time he finished his tale, he noticed how his hands were shivering. This didn't happen when he told Sasuke. Actually, at that time, he was very brave and his heart was strong. However with Sakura, it was different. She was too close to his core. Believing him… if she didn't do that, it would be something very hard to recover from. Right now, what he needed most was her trust and support. Being faced with the odd theory Sasuke had told him, he needed a foothold that told him this was his world.

Slowly he dared and looked up, from the floor to her clear jade eyes. Sakura had a look of wonder but there was no sense of disbelief. His heart was relieved for a second. The pink haired beauty gave his cold hand a squeeze and took her time processing his story. Finally she let go and gently gave him a hug.

Naruto didn't know how much he missed her hugs until he got that one. A feeling of safety, comfort and understanding washed over him. With soothing strokes, the long haired girl eased his back. Naruto allowed his anxiety, fear and restlessness to leave his body and surrender to Sakura's touch. Really, he thanked God she was in his life. No one understood him fully like she did.

The girl pulled ever so slowly and spoke to him in a quiet tone. "I'm sorry… you had to go through all this by yourself. I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun."

There was nothing for her to apologize for. It was on him. It was his fault he didn't tell her sooner, but Naruto knew that she was that type of person. Apologizing for his misgivings. He gave her a grin, reassuring, "There's nothing for you to be sorry about, Sakura-chan. I'm alright."

They released each other's hold and Sakura returned to the armchair she had been occupying. Having cleared the emotional part, she spoke in all seriousness.

"Let me say this first, I believe you. I had my doubts that something in you has changed, and as crazy as all this may seem, I do think you're more mature. It's surprising to know that you're not from this timeline… but the future," She trailed off, probably having a lot of questions piquing her attention. "How am I in the future? Do I have a boyfriend? Am I married?"

Naruto chuckled at his typical friend's behavior, in a teasing manner, he answered. "Do you want to know?"

"Yes, I do. No wait, I don't! Hmmm… no, no, I do," She played with her locks and groaned. "No, don't tell me. It's better I don't know. I'll just kill myself thinking about it. Let's focus on you."

The blond smiled at her and gave an answer to relax a part. "Well, I'm not sure if you should know about it or not, but if there's something I can say is that you're still very close to me. You always help me in the future. We are good."

Her face lit up in a smile, then suddenly she asked in all sincerity. "And Ino? Am I still friends with her?"

Naruto blinked at the odd question. "Why?"

"We just got into this _huuuuuge_ fight, and she said she doesn't want to see my face again…" Sakura groaned before continuing. "She can be such a stubborn –"

Before his friend started a cursing campaign aimed at Ino, the blond interrupted. "You're still best friends."

Sakura rolled her eyes and cursed but the blond saw how glad she was inside. No matter what happened between them, Naruto knew that Ino and Sakura loved each other and considered each other's presence in the other's life crucial. Petty fights did nothing to severe that relation.

"So, Uchiha Sasuke huh?" Sakura smirked. "You fell for the hottie, just like all of us. I didn't know you went for looks. Oh wait," she chuckled. "I did know."

"Fell?" He raised a brow, ignoring her other remark.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" She blinked back. "You said that in your story just now."

Frowning, he stated. "I hardly think I mentioned love there, Sakura –"

"You're bothered by him, you find him attractive, you've kissed him, you told him your strange story and finally you bonded enough for him to tell you some stupid theory that you've believed." She ended up with a smirk and teasing tone.

Sakura really liked teasing him. His mature friend was more in control of her teasing side than her younger version, he was assured of that. Sighing inwardly, he defended himself.

"He had strong proof to what he said."

"Yeah, a piece of paper that could easily be forged." Sakura countered.

"You think he'd do that?" His face turned into a scowl, not thinking that Sasuke would go to such length.

"Naruto, you told me he lives in a mansion and has a lot of money, right?" The blond nodded and she continued. "It's very easy to forge something like this if you have the right means, and trust me, he has the right means."

"I thought of that, but what would he gain from that?" Naruto questioned. "Why would he make me believe I'm from another world?"

"Okay, how about we look at this from another point of view," Sakura instructed, fixing the way she sat. "What if the Sasuke you met in the future was this time's Sasuke, and what if he was telling you all this to, I dunno, mislead you?"

"Mislead me from what? And if he was the same Sasuke, why didn't he just say so?" Naruto asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know, but Naruto-kun, it's strange. I mean no one in this world has the same face, height, name and behavior typical of another person. You said that they were similar down to the way they act, right? –"

"Yes, from the little time I've spent with him, he's similar to the Sasuke that I know."

"Okay, this proves my point even more, say we are talking about two different people in the same timeline; they'd behave differently, even if they have the same face. Take identical twins for instance, they have the same feature, but they'd be distinct in their personalities, behaviors and mindset – let alone another person from another timeline. You see where I'm going with this? Chances of this being your Sasuke-of-the-future is up to eighty percent."

As he twirled the words in his head, they made sense. Something was still amiss, however. "And that twenty percent?"

"Margin of error. There's no such thing as perfect math in this world." She chuckled slightly. "Anyhow, for now try not to think of this too much. You should also not mention that you told me to him."

The blond furrowed his brows, already not liking that he's to keep secrets. "Why?"

She smiled. "I just don't have a good feeling about it. This is a person who went to high lengths to make an elaborate lie to and have you question the reality you're in. I don't think he'd take kindly to you telling everyone you know about it."

"But I'm not telling everyone I know –"

"Figure of speech, Uzumaki." She interrupted before a headache forms. Adult or teenager, Naruto was still Naruto.

Sakura's cell rung distracting her from whatever counter-comment her blond friend wanted to add. When the caller ID read 'Buta', her nickname for Ino, she excused herself to the backyard where Naruto was sure she'd bring her tsundere side out. Sighing, he started collecting the empty glasses and bringing them to the kitchen.

As he was making himself busy, his brain was thinking back to what Sakura had said. It made sense but there were still a lot of holes. If this Sasuke was the one from his timeline, then why hide it? It would save the both of them time to tell him. They would even come up with a way to reverse it –

His brain stopped the thought the minute it came about. Reverse it? Go back home? Did he want to do that? Sure, here he was having a hard time accepting everything, but he was happy. His father was alive, his friends were surrounding him and his world was beautiful. Could he dare give all this up to that lonely apartment where Sasuke sometimes comes by?

Here he could find Sasuke easily, be it at school, in the teaching center, or visit his gigantic estate of a house. There were many chances to get close to Sasuke, but if he went back, he'd be forced to just wait until the raven decided it was time for them to meet. Naruto sighed again. He'd decided not to think, as Sakura had advised against that as well, but his brain was finding it hard to comply.

His cheeks flared a slight red when he remembered Sakura's words. Falling for Sasuke. Had he really? He couldn't deny that the other was a treat to the eyes. He hadn't met Sasuke but a couple of times, after all. Could someone fall for another in a short amount of time? Wait, what was the appropriate time to fall? Besides, he knew nothing of the raven-haired male or his life. Could he love someone who was so vague and shrouded in mysteries?

Uzumaki Naruto slapped his cheeks, he needed to stop. Stop thinking. Stop. Stop. _Stop_.

He shook his head alongside slapping himself hard on the cheeks, giving a perfect image of insanity.

"Naruto, you alright?"

And the dumbfounded look on his father's face was a clear evident of that. Naruto sheepishly smiled while sniggering to himself awkwardly.

* * *

Locating Uchiha Sasuke proved to be harder than Naruto first presumed. It had been close to a week now, and he couldn't find a good chance to speak with Sasuke. No, scratch that. He couldn't even find Sasuke to begin with. The raven was avoiding him. It was clear. At first, Naruto passed it as him being paranoid, but when he tried actively pursuing and got nothing but dust, the blond was sure. Uchiha Sasuke was doing everything to avoid him.

Naruto had gone to his house and asked to meet the young master, but was harshly and rather rudely escorted out by strong looking guards telling him not to come again. He tried his luck at the teaching center, but the minute the lesson was finished the raven-haired teacher would vanish into thin air. He wanted to catch up at school, but Sasuke liked playing hooky. He was ditching the classes that he wasn't interested in and none of the teachers seemed to care. Naruto sighed as his interest in his current classroom matched that of Sasuke's.

Looking at the windows, he envied the class that had PE. He recalled how in school he disliked most of the science classes. He was more of an exercising-the-body-over-the-mind type of guy. He liked sports; liked track and basketball, to be exact. Sitting still and stuffing his head with info from books wasn't his thing. He graced the board a look and the chemistry symbols looked back at him. He sighed again. Rising his hand, in a loud enough voice, he requested.

"Can I be excused, sensei?"

The silver-haired male teacher known as Hatake Kakashi didn't even look at him. He lazily replied, continuing writing on the board. "No."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the answer and continued in an annoying loud monotone. "I need to go to the bathroom. I need to be excused. I can't take it anymore. Oh no, it's leaking. What to do? I need to be excused, oh god –"

A piece of chalk found its way to his forehead in perfect aim. Naruto and the rest of the class snickered at his sensei, before he got a bothered reply.

"You can leave if you solve this."

Kakashi wrote some complicated equation on the board. He was certain with Naruto's lousy record it would be very hard to be able to solve that. Naruto looked at the equation and groaned inwardly. He could easily solve it, but doing so would raise suspicions. He had to be back to his old personality after all, and back then, he couldn't solve that. Sighing, he tried something else, something that was closer to his teenager behavior.

"Sensei, you're being unfair, you know the only person here who can solve this is probably Neji. Don't play favorites now."

"I'm not. Neji isn't the only one. You should do it. It was on last month's exam."

Naruto cringed, he had no idea what the previous exam held, so he retorted in something he thought could have easily happened. "And you know how badly I scored."

Multiple snickers were heard from different areas in class. Apparently, everyone knew how lowly he scored. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, getting bored. He wiped the problem and wrote a simpler one.

"Fine, solve this then."

Naruto grinned and walked to the front; he took the chalk and wrote a swift answer. This would do. His mental level should be close to this. A part of him objected on how he was seeing his teen self, but the blond knew that he was a lousy student, even in college that didn't change much. Getting the okay to leave, he was out of the class in a matter of seconds. Glancing at his watch, he had about half an hour before his class's ends. Next he had English with Kurenai. He cringed. More than anything, he hated Kurenai Yuhi's class. No matter what, that woman was vicious. He could still feel shivers from the previous class.

Yes, no ditching that one.

Walking throughout campus, his legs took him to the outside. He enjoyed the yells of whatever class had PE right now. Naruto glanced his eyes around and to his good fortune, he located the profile of Sasuke sitting on the big hill that shadowed the baseball court. Elegantly, he sat under a tree, his face buried in a huge reference book. It was hard to read what it was from his distance.

Feeling irritated that he was being given the runaround by this little devil, Naruto waltzed with sure steps to him.

"Uchiha Sasuke," The blond spoke with noticeable impatience, "You've been avoiding me. Why?"

Calm, black orbs looked up at him. Sasuke munched on the biscuit in hand and smirked. "Your timing is just bad."

"That excuse won't fly. Your thugs of guards kicked me out."

"I wasn't home."

"You don't stay after class –"

"My house is far. I need to leave early."

Naruto felt his irritation rise at the obvious cover-ups. The other wasn't even making an effort. "How about class here then? Why do you ditch!?"

"I don't. What they're trying to teach you monkeys I have already learned. In fact, I could teach some of the teachers here a thing or two."

Sasuke returned to his book, flipping over a page as if the presence of the other did nothing to hinder him.

"You expect me to believe that?" The blond put his hands on his hips, glaring down hard.

"It's up to you to believe what you want." Sasuke smirked.

"Well then, l'll start disregarding any crap that comes out of your mouth. You're a liar, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Suit yourself."

Naruto hated being ignored, but more than that, he hated being brushed off. He plopped down beside him and snatched the huge book from his lap, an act that – besides being very hard to do – put a lot of strain on his muscles. The raven raised one thin brow at his assailant.

Naruto put the book behind him then spoke. "Relax. You'll get it back after we're done talking."

Sasuke stayed silent, apparently waiting for him to speak his piece. The blond cleared his throat. His irritation and annoyance all vanished when his eyes locked with those black pearls. He really didn't like how his body was getting calm by the minute like this. It was weird. He cleared his throat again and tried not to think.

"So what I want to know is, why did you lie to me?"

"Who says I did?" Sasuke stubbornly continued asking.

Rolling his eyes, Naruto assured. "You lied. Full stop. Now why did you do it?"

"Uzumaki-kun, there's a difference between lying and manipulating the truth. I admit to the latter."

"You're kidding me, right? There's no difference. Sugarcoat it as much as you want, but lying is lying and you're still beating around the bush. Why did you do it?"

It was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes. He stood up and started walking down the hill. Naruto followed, not wishing to be left behind again.

"Well, you insist on a reason, but I don't have anything like that. I was trying out an experiment and that's it. In my point of view, I did not lie to you nor did I ask you to believe what I said. You had options right from the beginning."

Naruto scowled at those words; the logic he was hearing was different from a normal person's. This individual probably lived a different life than his own, the blond concluded.

"What experiment did you want to do?"

"You said you're from the future. I wanted to see if I could play with you."

"Your concept of playing is... twisted."

The raven released a smirk that made Naruto's spine shiver. "Difference of opinions."

"So you wanted to see my reaction? If I'd believe you or not?"

"Yes, and the effect of that. Say you're truly a person from the future, if I presented you with a different reality than the one you think, would you believe that and relax knowing you've secured a fate away from death? Or would you deny it and search for your truth? It was interesting to see the results."

"What do you mean, _'a fate away from death_ '?" Naruto asked, feeling anger rapidly rising.

"If this world's Uzumaki Naruto had died and you had came in his stead, then the concept of death would no longer apply to you in a way, and you'd be living a life that doesn't end – well not by the universe at least."

Naruto's scowl deepened, he ignored Sasuke's theory again and urged. "And?"

"Well, you didn't believe me." Sasuke's face was devoid of emotions as he spoke this. "You refused the thought that the family you have, the friends around you, and the hometown you crave for isn't yours. Actually, I bet on you choosing to relinquish all those things and –"

Sasuke stopped himself speaking mid sentence, fearing that he'd said too much. He halted his steps and turned around facing Naruto. Coming closer, his face was only inches away from the other. A creepy smile showed on his features.

"A real hell or a false heaven, which do you prefer, Uzumaki-kun?"

Naruto was trying his hardest to understand the person before him. It was weird. He felt like Sasuke was wrong but right at the same time. Well, trying to study him or whatever was something bad, yet he really didn't feel any malice from that act. It was like Sasuke did it solely to know where the blond's faith lied. The wind beside them blew, reminding them of where they were. Sounds of birds, rustle of leaves and the occasional noise from the crowd nearby were dimmed to the background. Naruto felt himself get drown inside the darkness of Sasuke's eyes.

Leaning forward, he wanted to touch his lips to the other but a pale hand steadied his shoulder and a nasty smile showed on Sasuke's face.

"Not the place."

"You…" Not being able to contain it in anymore, Naruto muttered. "Don't you feel this?"

Sasuke tilted his head inquiring. "Feel?"

A tan hand got hold of his own and brought it to a hard chest, the blond pressed Sasuke's hand against his chest, accenting his point with the beats of his heart. "This. This feeling. This desire. You don't feel it?"

"Your heart is throbbing fast," Sasuke closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying the feeling. "It's calming."

"You don't feel it, then?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, Naruto put his right hand on Sasuke's chest, trying to feel for his heart but there was nothing there. No beats or a hint of a throb. A small part of him was disappointed. Sasuke used his left hand and removed Naruto's hand from his attire. Calmly, he commented.

"I'm afraid the emotions you're seeking aren't here."

The tone was so sad that it cut through Naruto's chest. He furrowed his brows but didn't say anything. The sound of the bell ringing brought them back to reality. Sasuke went back to retrieving his reference book and started making his way to class. The blond felt the need to be by his side.

"I thought you didn't care what we monkeys are taught." He tried a teasing joke, trying to lift the previous lousy atmosphere.

"Yes, but Kurenai-sensei's classes are always enjoyable to attend. She strikes fear with the simplest of gestures. It's nice to witness."

Naruto shook his head. "You're weird."

"The pot calling the kettle black."

With that they made their way back to class, Naruto having more sets of unanswered questions than not.

* * *

"I need to talk to you." Naruto said not caring about any of the females surrounding Sasuke.

All the girls in the vicinity glared at him, and the blond cringed when Ino threw him daggers with her eyes. Still, he didn't mind; it was a chance he wasn't going to pass up. Sasuke was finally attending a class and not running the minute it was done.

"Naruto, wait your turn!" A brunette girl with hair done in two high piglets yelled.

"Yes! It's not always that Sasuke-kun attends!"

"Yeah, yeah! Leave!" Another chirped to back her two friends.

Naruto sighed as the crowd of females was about to throw him out of class, but before any of that could happen, the handsome prince spoke.

"Excuse me, ladies, I have urgent business with Uzumaki-kun. I can't be late."

The girls fawned over the raven and they made room for Naruto. Sasuke took his bag, Naruto's hand and bolted out the class. In a matter of seconds, the blond found himself running to the school's gate. He blinked.

"Why are we running?"

"I hate dealing with them."

A part of Naruto groaned. "The troubles of an ikemen."

Naruto saw Sakura from the corner of his eyes and she saw him, he flashed a grin and she blinked before her figure disappeared from his peripherals. Suddenly he felt himself get lighter, the earth beneath him started to move away and the walls he passed by decreased in height. Frowning, he looked beside him and apparently his hold on reality was dimming as he was… flying?

Yes, flying. Naruto's eyes went a little wide, he looked down, then up to the skies he realized was levitating. Not in a metaphorical sense, but as in an actual levitation. No scratch that. It was more of fast running, as he felt the ground every once in a while; his feet touching it at prolonged intervals. The blond felt confused as laws of physics as he knew them were starting to blur. They passed a crowded street and like water in a sieve and slipped through. Naruto looked at the male beside him and saw a cool face. Sasuke was still holding his hand, dragging him along this flying-running-jumping act they were doing. Feeling something in him wake up, the blond snatched his hand free.

That proved to be the wrong move, since he came crashing at the hard floor with strong force. His body ached as a sign of protest, complaining about the awful treatment it was given. Naruto nursed a bruised arm and glared at the source of his misfortune. Sasuke coolly looked back.

"What was that?" After much silence, the blond exploded. "What the hell were you doing?"

Sasuke seemed taken aback by this, and he looked behind him, disdain showing on his features. In a voice telling Naruto that Sasuke was as shocked as he was, he commented.

"I apologize, I didn't realize I was doing it."

"What?! That you were flying!?"

Grimacing, Sasuke corrected. "I don't fly. No human does. We were…jumping."

"You paused!" The blond pointed a finger at the raven. "You just paused!"

Sasuke averted his gaze and cleared his throat. He hadn't intended on doing that, his desire to escape those crazed girls made his cells act before his brain could command them. He hadn't realized that Naruto was accompanying him until the blond jolted his hand free. 'Focus.' He was losing that a lot these days.

"Are you alright?" Sasuke tried to change the subject, already cursing his actions inwardly. "You look battered."

Naruto just glared at him. Standing up, he dusted himself off and pointing an accusing finger once more, he demanded answers.

"Who the hell are you, Uchiha Sasuke? And this time, you won't get away from me that easily."

Sasuke rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day and in a low tone voice darkly stated,

"I told you, I'm an observer."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading, review and tell me what you think. ^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes**

 **Sorry for the delay in updating, I was quite busy with a lot of stuff lol. Thanks to my amazing beta, NikkiCross, for her amazing work! Hopefully the next update would be some time in the couple two weeks lol. Enjoy!**

* * *

Azure eyes looked around, frightened by the new location. As Naruto felt the side of his head throb, he blinked again to try and clear the blur from his vision. He struggled slightly to do so without the use of his hands, but – a chill run down his spine when he realized that they were tied behind his back. In fact, his mobility was completely stolen as his legs were in the same unfortunate state as his hands. Groaning, he tried to say speak, but nothing came out. His lips were sealed by what appeared to be duct tape. Naruto wriggled from the abrasive position he was forced into, but it was to no avail.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed his raging heart and tried to clear his vision. He was able to formulate the place he was in. It was a little tricky to do so due to the darkness, but he made out bars; bars of iron, presumably to hold him captive from the outside. The blond helped himself into a sitting position – which took an infinite amount of effort to make happen before trying to force off the tape. He wriggled his tongue to the outside, but it proved futile. It didn't look like he was getting out of this situation any time soon. About to lose hope in anything, Naruto stared as the sound of a door creaking open illuminated his dark hell.

Naruto recoiled when suddenly a switch was flipped on. The entire room was lit up as he painfully forced open his eyes. Blue orbs widened upon seeing his captor. None other than Uchiha Sasuke stood looking down at him and a part of Naruto told him he should have seen that coming. Sasuke, clad in black, brought a chair and sat opposite the blond. He looked him in the eyes before speaking.

"I apologize for the treatment, but you left us no other way."

The blond glared at Sasuke, he wanted to protest but only muffled noises were heard.

"You kept fighting. Had you come obediently, nothing like this would have happened."

With Sasuke's words, his memory was made clear. He recalled coming back with Sasuke to his house, Sasuke had made a very strange proposition. He asked him to live with him, to leave his family and friends and stay with Sasuke. The blond was astonished to say the least, and he'd demanded that Sasuke clarified, but the black haired male refused. His senses spoke of danger; an alarm triggered that he needed to escape. When he tried to leave, the thugs that Sasuke called bodyguards tried to stop him. Thanks to his athletic body, he was able to dodge their movements, but not for long. The buzz in the back of his head was evident to the hit that rendered him unconscious.

Life was so unfair.

Sasuke unlocked the door to the small cell Naruto was in and walked the distance separating them. He crouched beside the blond and spoke.

"I don't like doing this to you." A pale right hand cupped Naruto's whiskered cheek. "But I can't have you roaming around like this."

Naruto's brows furrowed just as Sasuke roughly ripped the tape off his mouth. The tiny hairs that were plucked caused minor pain to register in the abused area. Naruto yelped a protest before he barked at his abuser.

"Let me go!" He demanded.

"No."

Flinching slightly, Naruto snarled, "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you! What right do you have to keep me here!?"

Naruto felt his anger take the better of him and he let it. He was confused. Tired. His head hurt and for God's sake, why did Sasuke continue to do this shit to him!?

"No." Coolly, Sasuke repeated his answer. "I'm not letting you leave."

"Why!?"

"Because I don't want to."

With that the raven stood up and walked out of the cell. Naruto growled something but the only answer that he got was that his breakfast would be given in two hours time. Needless to say, his anger only increased.

* * *

Sakura looked at Neji, Gaara, Ino, TenTen, Shino and Kiba as all of them shook their heads at her. None of them could answer the question that piqued her interest for four days now; had any of them seen Naruto?

"It was when he had lunch with us," Kiba spoke, breaking the silence, "that's the last time I saw him. A week ago, I think. Right, Shino?"

The big guy in glasses, who had secured the perfect position of being Kiba's shadow, nodded. "Right."

"I remember him falling asleep in Kurenai-sensei's class… oh wait, that was me." Shikamaru commented, proving his helplessness in their current situation.

"I left him behind at school, four days ago, Sakura." Gaara answered in a relaxed tone. "He said he had something to tend to."

The girl sipped her juice as her face turned a troubled look. Everyone gave off similar answers, and all of them dating back to four days ago. Actually, some – TenTen mainly – hadn't seen the blond for a week or so. Neji and Ino said they'd seen him with Uchiha Sasuke as they were both leaving the class together. Sakura did too, she remembered, seeing her best-bud run with the mysterious Uchiha outside school. That, however, really didn't give any leads.

"Did anyone try asking Sasuke-kun?" Ino said after much silence.

Sakura shook her head. "I did. He said he doesn't know anything. He and Naruto spoke about some homework he'd asked for help with and that was all. He claims that Naruto went back home afterwards."

"Then just check with his dad," Kiba reasoned, not paying attention to Sakura's skeptical tone. "If he isn't worried, I don't think we should."

"His dad isn't worried because we lied; we said he's staying with Gaara." Sakura countered.

Shino raised a brow at her words, his sunglasses and the black hoodie did a good job in hiding his reaction from the bunch. "Why did you do that? If Naruto is indeed missing, shouldn't his father be the first to know?"

"Yes, but in the case that he's not, we didn't want him to worry." Gaara spoke this time. "Naruto wouldn't want that."

"But how did that happen? How did you two know that Naruto's missing before his dad?" TenTen asked.

Sakura was the first to answer. "Remember how Naruto didn't show for school last Tuesday? Well, his father called Gaara and asked if the blond had stayed over. Gaara told him he did. However Naruto didn't show for two more days and just when we wanted to go tell Minato-san –"

"This came," Gaara flashed his phone, a text from Naruto read _'I'll be away for awhile, don't tell dad, cover for me, thanks._ ' "So we continued covering."

"Yeah," Sakura sighed. "Minato-san thinks that Naruto is spending time with Gaara working on some project. So if any of you happened to see him, please continue with that tale."

Neji finally decided to speak, his brows furrowed together. "So if you think this was from Naruto-kun and he's alright, why are we gathered here today?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Ino seconded his inquiry.

"Well, it's because I don't," The pink-haired female answered them. "I have a hunch that Naruto's in danger. I don't know how to explain this, but there's something that tells me that he didn't write this text and that he needs us to help him."

The gang looked at her with questioning orbs. Sakura silently pleaded. She couldn't tell them the truth about Naruto – she didn't think they'd believe her to be honest – and didn't want to stay doing nothing when he went missing. Her hunch was strongly telling her that her friend needed her. She just didn't know what to do about all this. Sakura thought of confiding in Gaara, but then again, what if Naruto didn't want people to know?

"I'm all for your gut feeling and stuff, but Sakura-chan, I still think it's too early to raise alarm." Kiba said from the sidelines.

Their conversation was put on hold when a waitress that Shino found cute presented TenTen and Kiba with their smoothies. The café the gang was sitting at had a homey atmosphere, and it was their primary hang out space. It centered Konoha city, and within walking distance to everyone's houses.

TenTen took a sip from her favorite ice-coffee-slash-mango smoothie and her eyes turned into hearts as everyone in the table cringed. Her choices in beverages always amazed her friends. Really, how her tongue could put two opposite flavors together was beyond them. Neji recalled one time when he'd accompanied the beautiful girl alone and she had requested pineapple-watermelon-yogurt juice. Not only did he and the waitress raise a brow at her odd request, but the man making their juices did as well. Astonished at the challenge, most likely. TenTen simply grinned at her weird taste.

"I know that, Kiba-kun, I just… I'm asking a lot of you, but please, help me out searching for him."

The dog-lover blushed at her pleas and commented, "It's not that I don't want to help you, Sakura-chan, I just think we should wait a little bit more. How about this, if Naruto-kun doesn't show up next Tuesday, we'll search for him? Does that sound alright?"

"I second that." Ino raised a hand, causing her beautiful blond locks to sway. "Naru-baka could be ditching or whatever, so no need to worry much about him."

"I agree." Shino raised a vote with the two.

She didn't like waiting, her furrowed brows showed that at least, but Kiba's words did make sense. Maybe her hunch was flying out of control. Sighing, she nodded.

"Alright, we'll wait. Next Monday tops, and if he doesn't show up we're searching for him."

The gang nodded at her words. After her important topic was discussed, they all went back to the nonchalant stuff they had going on. Half an hour later, Shino and Kiba excused themselves, saying that they had something they needed to buy – TenTen rolled her eyes at them, knowing they went to get the new addition to the stupid ninja manga they followed. Ino and Gaara were second to leave, TenTen was about to leave with Neji when the long haired brunet told her to go without him.

The girl nodded at him and left. Sakura blinked when he seated himself beside her. With eyes filled with nothing but seriousness, he asked her.

"Sakura-chan, I don't mean to pry here and you have all the right not to tell me, but Naruto-kun, he's in danger isn't he?"

Her face took on a worried expression and she nodded. "Yes, I think so."

"Does this have to do with his recent change in personality?"

Her eyes widened ever so slightly, she really didn't want to share her information with the brunet, but those kind, lilac eyes left her little room to lie.

"…How did you know?"

"I have good eyes," He assured with a smile. "Don't worry; I think I'm the only one who noticed. Naruto-kun was very careful. I don't think anyone saw any change."

"Oh, I see."

"So, can you tell me exactly what happened to him? I might be able to help."

Sakura looked at the sunglasses in her hands and sighed. What would Naruto want her to do? Should she speak? Will he believe her? Does she have the authority to tell the blond's secret to another person? It was probably very hard for Naruto to include her, let alone someone else. So… as much as she wanted his help, she felt reluctant to speak. It wasn't her place. Without permission, she shouldn't tell anyone.

A kind hand found its way to her clenched ones. Her beautiful jade eyes met Neji's once more and with a gentle tone, he reassured.

"You don't have to tell me if it's too hard."

"…It's not that, I want to tell you, Neji-kun, I really do. But it's just –"

"It's not your place. You want to keep Naruto-kun's secret. I understand."

He said the words she struggled with easily. Really, she couldn't ask for a better friend. Nodding to him, the pink haired girl apologized.

"I'm sorry."

Neji thoughtfully brushed her off. "No worries, I think you're making the right decision. Anyhow, I'll help you search for him. I know you didn't intend to honor Kiba-kun's suggestion from the beginning."

A smile found its way to her lips. Sometimes the brunet scared her with his strong intuition and observational skills, but right now, she thanked God for them. If she was going to flip hell to find Naruto, she needed a strong ally by her side. Besides, who's better than the smart, handsome, and resourceful Hyuuga Neji?

"Thank you, Neji-kun."

"There's no thanks between friends, Sakura-chan, but," He added with a grin. "You're welcome."

* * *

"How long do you intend on keeping me here?" Naruto asked between gritted teeth.

The raven-haired male to his right spared him a look and answered. "As long as my time permits."

Naruto scoffed. "How long is that again?"

This time Sasuke paid him no mind and returned to reading his book. Naruto grunted at the treatment. He recalled the events that took place the previous night. Naruto was transported out of the cell to a decent looking room; the chains that were holding him were given some length. The blond was now able to move a good distance of six meters. Enough to reach the bathroom and waltz around the room, but not enough to have him leave the room and escape – or even jump through that tempting looking window. At this point, he really didn't know what to do.

Naruto tried escaping. Yes, he did. One time, Sasuke was careless as to get close without a guard present, Naruto took hold of his neck and pinned him to the ground. He threatened to harm him if the raven didn't let him go that instant. However his threats fell on deaf ears as Sasuke did nothing to abide. He simply lied there, under him –to Naruto's displeasure – enjoying the whole act. The blond wasn't able to go through with his threats, after all. He wasn't that type of person, and even if he was, hurting Sasuke was out of the question. He liked the raven too much to do that.

"I just don't understand. Why am I here? Your actions don't make sense." Naruto asked after much contemplation on his part. His days were spent doing nothing; he'd wake up to a fancy meal, sit around all day, Sasuke would grace the room with his attendance, spend most of the time reading, have lunch together, then Sasuke would leave. Before dinner, he'd come back again, read another book, have dinner with Naruto and leave with a promise of a tomorrow. A future in which they would repeat this whole vicious cycle yet again.

Sasuke turned a page on the book he was reading and remained silent. Naruto continued asking.

"Are you lonely? Is that why I'm here?"

"Yes, I am."

The answer came so fast, Naruto had to ask again to make sure he wasn't being played. "Come again?"

"I said," Sasuke repeated, "I'm lonely, that's one of the reasons you're here." The raven put a bookmark in and closed the book

It happened without his consent; a blush showing up on tan, whiskered cheeks. The blond was taken aback to say the least. Emotions were very hard to extract from Sasuke, and he'd tried days to get a single reaction out, but still, nothing. To be hit with something like this all of a sudden and out of the blue? Did his attempts finally bear fruit?

"Uumm… well, you didn't have to abduct me to spend time with me. I would gladly do that with a request."

"I did, you refused." Sasuke reasoned.

"No, you didn't. You said to leave my life and live here, and that doesn't make sense. I can't just ditch the world and stay with you."

"That's why you're in chains."

The blue-eyed male rolled his eyes and tried again. "Well you said one of the reasons, what are the others?"

"…"

Sasuke took back his hold on his book, ignoring Naruto's question. The blond frowned and left the comfy bed he was in, walking towards Sasuke. Forcibly, he removed the book from the other's sight and replaced it with his face.

"Sasuke-kun," Naruto started eyes glittering with mischief. "I've decided that I'm done being in the dark. You're going to tell me now, who the hell you are, why did you take me and why – for God's sake – do you know so much about me? No more lies. I'll _know_."

Black orbs looked at him and Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine. The book in his hands was snatched in a mere second. He didn't even see Sasuke's hands move, impressed, the blond let down his guard. Sasuke took that chance and threw him back on the bed that was prepared for him.

"You shouldn't ask things you're not ready for."

"I am ready to hear! I want to know –"

"Last time I heard that, you fainted from the shock."

Naruto couldn't recall any of the things the other was spurting. "I don't remember something like that happening."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he walked towards the door. "Sure, you don't."

The blond wanted to object, but the door was slammed on his face. Pouting, he threw one of the feathery pillows at the door, mumbling a faint protest.

"Stupid Sasuke. I'll get you next time, just you wait!"

* * *

"Hey, I know I'm not supposed to leave here, but," Naruto's eyes glittered as he requested. "Can't you at least let me stay in that beautiful garden for a bit?"

The black haired male stopped eating as his sight followed Naruto's outside the big windows. The blond could see the hint of something flicker inside of Sasuke, but the minute he noticed it, it was gone.

"Why?"

Pouting, Naruto replied. "Because it's nice outside, because I've been cooped in here for god knows how long and because I'm about to kill myself of boredom. You do realize that in some countries, they use isolation as means of torture, right? Isolation, Sasuke, isolation as in just like what you're doing here! Do you want me to die? Is that it? You want to kill me –"

His rant was interrupted by a pale hand stuck to his face, the raven haired male said. "Shut up. You're annoying."

"Well annoying or not, I'm bored!" Naruto protested with his hands wrapped in front of him. "I want to smell some fresh air and I dunno… I feel like this garden is somewhat, special."

Sasuke stopped sipping the soup for the second time, his eyes looked the blond directly as he questioned with a raised brow. "Special how?"

"Well if I knew that I wouldn't be wondering, now would I?"

The sarcastic tone had Sasuke return back to his food and whisper softly.

"…Fine. After lunch we'll go."

Naruto's mouth twitched into a grin. He felt like he was able to attain a reward from a very hard video game. With delight, he returned to his meal. The dishes that were served to him were always so delicious. He didn't know who made them, but wanted to salute the chef. True to his promise, after they finished their food, Sasuke had two males escort Naruto to the spacious garden. The blond had rolled his eyes at the treatment, his cuffs and chains were removed but the guards hovered over him like a precious gem. He actually hadn't thought about running… yet. The blond didn't know why but after spending a week being pampered like a princess, his body actually didn't dislike the treatment.

He did miss his father and friends, but he hadn't spent enough time away from them to long for them. Yet, he considered his stay in the estate to be a holiday – a much needed timeout from the mysteries he over-thought. Naruto just hoped the situation on the other side wouldn't be worse. His father was a worrywart, and though he was a gentle soul if Minato suspected that Naruto was in any form of danger, he'd do everything in his power to rescue him. In fact, the person whom he feared most was Sakura. The girl knew everything and with her super hunch she would know he needed her help.

But did he really?

As the blond made his way to the stunning landscape, his worries and thoughts evaporated. It was breathtaking. He didn't know what to call this, and hardly thought his simple vocabulary did it any justice, but it was magical. Flowers of different kinds illuminated the garden; they were orchestrated in a way that gave their vibrant colors a chance to mix well without being overbearing. A gazebo that was placed in the center, painted a mix of blue and yellow which gave the garden a touch of misty morning. A nearby fountain played a beautiful tune, with a theme that read dolphins. He was only able to identify a single flower even with the many kinds that were spread around. A blend of white and pink roses was merged with the Persian Ivy on the walls.

Three dancing statues of beautiful girls twirled in a counterclockwise motion mimicking the fountain's melody. Naruto took a seat on a bench under a shady tree. He felt serene inside. The fresh air was welcomed inside his lungs in lazy but deep breaths. He was relaxed, probably too relaxed as he hadn't sensed when a shadow covered the afternoon sun beaming on his figure.

"You like it here."

His eyes flickered open and he gave a gentle smile to his intruder, affirming. "I like it here."

Sasuke took a seat beside him. A gust of wind sent his soft black locks to intrude on his face, and with a pale hand he tucked it behind his ear displaying a slight ring hole to the other. Naruto allowed his hand to roam free to the abused lobe. Delicately, he touched the tender flesh and questioned.

"When did this happen?"

As if the earlobe that was being caressed wasn't his, Sasuke answered flatly. "Yesterday."

"Why did you do it?" Naruto inquired, clear concern in his voice.

"It needed to be done."

As always, he wasn't given clear answers. Naruto really never knew where he stood with this Sasuke. Just when he would think he had him figured out, something would happen and he'd be back to square one. Sighing, he returned his hand to his side and again questioned him, although this time showing the annoyance he felt within.

"You really don't like telling me anything, do you? Is keeping me in the dark so fun?"

Sasuke turned to him, and that glint the blond saw at lunch was clear. A smooth tone was used as the raven retorted with a different question.

"Don't you remember?"

"Remember, what?"

"…This garden, does it not remind you of anything?"

The blond cast the beautiful scenery a look from the corner of his eyes, it shined. A wistful feeling washed over him but that was it. His head didn't release any memories of this place. It felt like he had been here, like déjà vu but that was it. Hesitantly, he tried to answer Sasuke's question.

"I can't say yes, and I can't say no. It has a nostalgic feeling but that's all. I've never been here before. The first time is when I followed you here, but before that I don't think I've ever seen it."

"Hn."

Sasuke kept his quiet at this; Naruto decided that he wouldn't have it. There was a reason why he was asked that question and he was adamant on finding out.

"So what? Have I been here before?"

When Sasuke was about to stand and leave like all those other times, the blond took hold of his shoulder and forced him – gently – to sit back down. His eyes showed fire as he stated with gritted teeth.

"Not this time, Uchiha, you're going to spill everything. Why does this place feel familiar? What are you hiding?"

The raven looked at him for a while. As always, Naruto tried to read that poker face but he had nothing. Sasuke was perfect in hiding what he didn't want people to know. So if the other didn't want to tell him, he wouldn't know. Finally, Sasuke decided to open his mouth. Giving Naruto's hopes a raise.

"Fine. I didn't want to say anything because chances that you wouldn't believe are high, but if you want to know so bad, I will tell you."

"I'm waiting." The blond urged when a good time passed and Sasuke didn't say anything.

"You've been here before."

The raven was about to stand up again and leave but the blond stopped him again.

"You really like escaping. Besides, no shit, Sherlock! Your words two minutes ago were leading to that."

A look of dissatisfaction graced Sasuke's face. "Then why are you holding me, let me leave."

"You don't just drop a bomb like this and leave!" Naruto sweat-dropped at the unbelievable actions of the other. He really felt like he was talking with a machine! There was no consideration to his emotions whatsoever, not even his state of mind. For God's sake would a proper explanation to enlighten him really be so bad? Sasuke just dropped the info and wanted to split. Well not this goddamn time! "Explain! What do you mean? How could I have been here without having any memory of it?"

"…That's something I don't want to talk about."

"Uchiha Sasuke, that won't fly anymore! You need to tell me I'm done with mysteries! Who are you? Why am I here? What do you mean I have been here before? You..." Naruto hated repeating himself like a broken record, but Sasuke just got on his nerves. He took a deep breath and tried not to pop. "Are you the Sasuke from my timeline?"

The raven-haired male heaved a sigh – Naruto's first official time witnessing the act with such emotions – then spoke in a tone that told Naruto he didn't want to do any.

"Unfortunately, all these questions hold answers that I can't discuss with you right now. But," His eyes lingered on a faraway plant and he stated, "I can answer you one. After that, you won't bother me anymore."

"No, that won't do. I need all the answers."

"One."

Naruto stubbornly looked at those charcoal eyes and frowned. The hardheaded man before him probably had his reasons for not being able to answer Naruto's questions – or so he supposed as he liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. Choosing only one though, was hard. Those questions, they were the jist of numerous mysteries shrouding him currently. So to just pick one…

"Then I'd paragon with three," Three tan fingers were raised in front of Sasuke's face. "There questions and I'll let you go."

Sasuke seemed to contemplate this for a while, before he sternly commented. "Two and that's final."

The blond cheered inside. A part of him protested that he should have gone with a higher number, so when Sasuke brought it down, he'd have more questions to be answered. But another part – the optimistic and larger one – highlighted that two questions would be enough for now. Two questions. Now he needed to filter the most important questions he needed answered. What was the thing he wanted to know the most? Again, the front fort of his head filled with numerous questions, he shook his head and –

"If you don't have anything…" Sasuke interrupted his thoughts, trailing off with intent on leaving.

The blond grabbed his pale hand tightly and firmly asked. "No! I have a question. Sasuke… are you- are you the Sasuke from my timeline?"

Naruto felt his heart beat faster than necessary. The question was very important. It was the thing that he wanted to know from day one. Its answer would also give him a clear path and a plan to work on. He needed to get the confusion out. He needed to know if this person could be trusted or not. He needed the reassurance. His heart was about to leap from his chest when Sasuke parted his lips to speak, but before that could happen, Naruto clapped his hands on Sasuke's lips. Startled black pearls faced his action.

"Sorry, but before you say anything," The blond looked at his shivering arms and tried to calm his heart down. "Promise me you won't lie, manipulate the truth or do anything that would mislead me. I need a clear and truthful answer… to this question precisely."

Sasuke brought his hands and gently removed Naruto's from his hold.

"Don't worry, I will speak the truth."

"O-Okay, then I'm ready, please give me your answer."

Sasuke's eyes looked at their clasped hands, he gazed for a good couple of minutes and just when Naruto thought he'd let him go, the raven didn't. It made the blond feel some sense of comfort – just like the huge garden, it was peaceful. Sasuke gave the pale hand a squeeze before directing his gaze to Naruto and answering his question.

"Yes, I am."

That single answer shook the blond to the core. The events that had led him to his current location all burned inside his skull. He felt himself get drifted and his throat got thirsty. His voice seemed so far away right now. This was his Sasuke. How? What –

"Why?" Naruto felt his lips work without his consent. "Why did you lie to me?"

Sasuke's gaze was straight as he questioned. "Are you choosing this as your second question?"

Naruto didn't feel like analyzing so he hurriedly answered. "Yes –"

"Are you sure? Isn't there something more important you want to know?" Sasuke insisted, trying to level with his prey.

"D-Don't speak. Just answer me. Why the fuck did you lie to me?"

His nerves were jittery but he was clam. Naruto was amazed at how collected he was. His tips were as cold as snow and his heart was skipping a couple of beats by now, but he was clam. Yes, the calm before the storm.

The raven nodded. "Alright, I'll take it as your second question. I didn't lie. You were under the assumption that I and the Sasuke you've met in your timeline are two different entities. I simply didn't correct you. I felt like leaving you like that would be better."

"Better for whom?"

"For both of us."

Naruto gritted his teeth, not wanting anger to cloud his feelings. "Why did you send me here?"

"Two questions, **Naruto**."

The blond felt his heart squeeze, the way his name was being pronounced was unfair. It brought memories of the sweet time he'd spent with Sasuke back in the original timeline. He just couldn't forgive what the other chose to do. He knew from the beginning everything that was happening yet he allowed Naruto to misunderstand, to be confused and to question who he was or if he belonged here or not.

"I can't answer any more questions but I'll tell you something. Your presence is very important to me. You don't know a lot, that day when you saved me from the trash… you might have done it on a whim, but to me, it was a ray of sunshine. You were what I was searching for." A pale hand came and cupped one whiskered cheek, Sasuke continued talking. "The time we spend in your apartment. I honored every minute –"

Suddenly the person in his vision fell. Sasuke got a hold of the blond before his body hit the ground. His face showed a grim expression. He looked the unconscious male's form in the eyes and whispered sad words.

"…You broke, again."

* * *

"So what did she want?"

A smile was given to him as an answer. Gaara rolled his eyes and continued walking. It's been about a week now since he noticed Neji and Sakura plotting something. They'd always meet in private, hushing their voices so no one would hear. At the beginning, he thought nothing of it, but it started to get to him when his dates with the brunet were canceled because he needed to meet Sakura. Currently, they were finished with classes. He was about to leave with Neji when the pink-haired cheerleader stopped them, borrowing Neji for the umpteenth time.

Now, Gaara wasn't the jealous or possessive type, but he didn't like being kept out of the loop either. He gave the male walking beside him a glance. Neji was engrossed in thinking something that his forehead was wrinkling. The redhead hated how he had no idea about what was happening. He extended a hand and halted Neji just before he was to fall in a hole in the ground – too busy brooding to notice, he supposed.

"Seriously man, watch where you're going."

Laughing nervously, Neji thanked him. They started walking again but Gaara frowned. The brunet was being very absentminded, and he didn't like doing what he was about to, but it needed to be made clear.

"So I went on this date yesterday." He lied through his teeth, from the corner of his eyes, he was checking for a reaction, but nothing came, Gaara continued. "She was really cute."

"Hm, I see."

"Smart, too."

"Good, good."

A vein in him was about to pop. "We have a lot in common; she has my taste in music."

Neji took a right turn, inattentively nodding to Gaara to continue. The redhead stopped and nonchalantly and rather loudly stated.

"We had sex."

Lilac eyes turned ever so slowly to face him; the brunet was taken aback by what his ears had picked up. Blinking, he asked. "…What?"

"I went out with a girl yesterday and we had sex." Gaara spoke in a clear tone, feeling satisfied with the horror inside Neji's orbs. He was being a little devil, but the other totally deserved it for ignoring him.

"…O-oh… I see. Of course you would… why wouldn't you? You're a healthy high schooler, after all. There's nothing to stop you from doing that if you want… Yeah, nothing…"

Neji was entering his own world as his eyes darkened. The redhead knew how his friend's brain worked. The confident, strong Neji was charming as they can get, but he had a slight insecure side. Strangely enough, he didn't show that side to anyone but him, making Gaara feel special at that. So by experience, he was sure the other was over-thinking, overanalyzing and beating himself up. Gaara allowed Neji's self-judgment to go own for a good couple of minutes before he stepped in.

"I lied." In a resonating voice, he commented.

Gaara watched Neji's eyes vibrate back to life. The process was very entertaining for him.

"Say what?"

Making sure steps to the other, the redhead repeated his words. "I didn't have sex with anyone; I didn't go out even last night."

Neji scowled at him and with a confused tone, he questioned. "Then why did you say that?"

"Because I'm jealous. You've been ignoring me all this time, going out with Sakura. I'm fed up with it."

The brunet's confused face broke into a smile. He got closer to Gaara and said.

"Firstly, it's super cute that you're jealous, but you should know there's nothing between me and Sakura-chan for you to be –"

"I'm not talking about romance –"

"I know. I just wanted to make it clear. And about what she and I have been discussing, you already know it."

Gaara's brows furrowed together, he tried to think for a little and something came to mind.

"Naruto?"

"Naruto."

"But he's fine," Gaara pressed, confused. "I mean sure he hadn't come for two weeks now, but didn't he call and say he was alright?"

"That he did."

"Then why are you discussing it still?"

Neji heaved a sigh and answered. "Sakura-chan is still worried. She thinks he's in danger and is forced to tell us those things."

"Sakura is overthinking stuff. I mean sure it's strange that he's away for so long, but he already said he's fine. Besides, don't forget that Naruto used to play hooky in junior high. There was this time when we ran away to some mountain. We stayed for three weeks until his father and Kankuro found us."

The redhead cringed at the memory. They were both in their insane ages, wanting to explore the world. Actually they had a passion for hiking and camping at that time and since neither Kankuro nor Naruto's father allowed them to do it; they ran away and did what they pleased. Needless to say, they were both grounded for a long time. However, when they ditched, it was in the summer break. No school. He saw how Sakura would be concerned about the blond choosing to leave in the middle of the school term, but Naruto wasn't the type of person to roll with the wrong crowd, nor did he do drugs for them to fear.

To him, there was no need for searching. When Naruto was up for it, he'd come back to them. No need forcing people to do anything. He was the type to hate being forced into situations; that's why he enforced that policy with his friends. If Naruto said he was fine, he'd take him up on those words. Sighing once more, Gaara waited for his brunet friend to answer.

"Yeah, I remember. Kankuro-san was very pissed at you. He even came to my house thinking you hid there."

"Well that's in the past. Do you get my point? Naruto isn't in any danger. Instead of helping Sakura in her delusions, you should knock some sense into her."

"Hmm… I don't know, I think girls have good intuition. If she's convinced there's something wrong with him, I'll help her. Besides Sakura-chan needs all the help she can get."

Gaara knew there was no changing the other's thoughts anymore and he didn't try it. Nodding, he complied. "Okay, I'll stop. If you need my help, I'm here."

A pale hand came and grasped his. Warmth spread into Gaara's cold extremity, he smiled at the other and squeezed the hand back.

"I know."

With that they continued walking their way.

* * *

It was three at night, and Naruto felt like he was back into his delinquent days when he was still finding out how thrilling it was to breaks the rules. Hiding behind a wall, he waited until the three maids made their way to the other side of the corridor, before slipping away. Walking with quiet steps, he passed the third door heading to the outside. It had been about three weeks now being confined in the vast mansion. At the beginning he didn't hate the atmosphere, but after finding out about Sasuke's true nature, he just couldn't stay here anymore. He was suffocated. Not to mention, since their little encounter at the garden, the raven had disappeared from his sight. They didn't meet for a whole week and Naruto decided that enough was enough.

He'll be the only one making the rules from now on.

Sliding to the ground, Naruto crawled avoiding one of the guards. On his way to the outside, he spotted a door unattended and weaseled his way there. Actually it was strange; the chains that had been holding him in place in that beautifully decorated room weren't as strong as he'd thought. He hadn't tried to break them before because they looked unbreakable, but when he did – a night where he was so frustrated with Sasuke's behavior – they broke like glass. He was startled, and quickly his mind conjured a plan to escape.

It was hard to hide his free hands from the maid who came presenting him dinner, but Naruto was able to pull it off. Naruto looked to his right when the sound of chatter caught his eyes, he cursed under his breath at the staff of the house – it was so late yet they were all up and about, as if the sun was high in the sky. He was forced to shelter inside a closet until they passed, sighing in relief when that happened. He'd actually gotten lost a couple of times. The house was too big – had too many similar doors and pathways. The blond remembered the way to the garden, but God, why was it so hard to get there?

His azure orbs glittered in delight when he saw a window, the night lights placed in the garden shone highlighting its beauty. Naruto beamed. He was getting closer to freedom. The hem of the pajama shirt he was wearing caught on the handle of the door when he was moving out of the closet. It scraped his skin but he paid the pain little attention. He looked the hall up and down, left and right and decided that his best bet would be to jump out the window. If his calculations were right, and he believed they were, he was in the ground floor, so jumping wouldn't be a problem. Squirming to the window, he removed the bright curtains shielding it, and slowly creaked it open.

A gush of clean midnight air filled his lungs, the hall was dark, but the moon illuminated a fine outline of objects. Naruto hopped on the armchair placed beside the window, softly offering an apology for dirtying the expensive furniture. Placing a hand on a rim, he put his right foot and lifted his weight alongside the left one. To his reckoning, the floor wasn't that far. In a second, he jumped. The feel of the cold tile under him brought chills to his spine.

Naruto started running, fast and swift. Looking over his shoulders every two seconds to check that he wasn't caught, but everything was fine. He was good. His mind was set on getting the hell out of the magical prison, the thought plunged his conscious. He ran to the far right, passing before a field of beautifully aligned flowers. The gardener responsible really had a wonderful taste. The blond wished to just stay in the cozy garden, unable to shake the familiarity he felt within.

His eyes cast on the gate; he was so close to getting out when a tender voice called out to him. Naruto knew that voice all too well and his bones froze.

"You're leaving… Naruto."

Fisting his hands on his sides, the blond took a deep breath and turned around. Standing in the middle of the path he'd just came running down on was none other than his captor, Uchiha Sasuke. A look of disdain was showing on those cold features. A part of the blond was glad that he was able to extract such emotions from the other, but another part hated that look. He made sure his voice was steady when he spoke.

"Yes. I'm done playing with you. I need to get back to reality."

"…What is that?" Sasuke asked with a mocking tone. "You think the life you have here is your reality?"

"Well the one I'm having here sure isn't." He gestured to the huge estate around them.

Sasuke stayed silent at this. The blond closed his eyes and turned around.

"Just let me go; right now I don't want to see your face. I need to think."

"You're blaming me for you being here."

"No," Naruto denied. "I'm blaming you for keeping me ignorant. I don't know if you're the reason why I'm here or not, but I know that you knew everything and you lied to me… no, you're still lying to me."

The raven scowled at him, not appreciating the words. "I have my reasons. It's not that I like not telling you but I can't. I don't know the result if you found out."

Naruto furrowed his brows. "See? Just like this, you say shit I don't understand. Result of what? You talk as if the world would end if I knew what's going on."

"…My world would." Sasuke whispered softly, inaudible to Naruto.

"What?"

"…"

Upon the silence, the blond spoke firmly. "Anyway, just let me think… I need time alone."

Sasuke stayed quiet, Naruto took that as a sign that he could leave. He walked softly to the gate, but before he was fully able to exit, a pale hand stopped him in his tracks, grasping his tan wrist. His eyes looked at the teen stopping him, Sasuke's lips were bleeding from him biting on them so hard. His face was filled with agony. Naruto felt his heart throb in pain.

"Don't go…"

The whisper broke his heart into piece. Sasuke's voice was so tender that it blended with the wind. Naruto really wanted to comply, to return with the raven back to that room, but he couldn't. His own emotions were all over the place and he just couldn't. He needed to regroup his thoughts and think everything in an environment away from Sasuke.

Yes, Sasuke was to be avoided.

"I… I can't… sorry… I have to go…"

Sasuke's grip on him hardened and even when Naruto tried to move away, he didn't allow him. The blond sighed and tried one last time.

"Okay, Sasuke, if you tell me everything… the whole truth about why I'm here and the mysteries I have no answer to, if you tell all that, I'll stay."

Sasuke looked to the ground, the blood on his lip dripping harder. "You know I can't do that."

"Then I can't stay here." Naruto removed the pale hand from his own. "You made your choice, now it's my turn to make mine."

"…You're sure about this? You want to leave me?"

The blond couldn't shake the feeling that he'd heard those words before, not the same but the same. He couldn't explain it. The feeling was similar. Before Naruto could make sure of what's what, Sasuke had opened the gate for him and stood aside.

The choice was clear to him. However when Naruto's feet were out of the estate, he looked back once more and a look of total abandonment and despair was witnessed inside Sasuke's eyes. A gush of uneasy feelings and darkness clouded his eyes as Sasuke clearly blurted out, voice shaky to the ears.

"You broke your promise again, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto knew he made the wrong decision.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading. Sorry for the delay. I'm waiting for your reviews.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes**

 **I'm so sorry for the delay. I just got caught up in work again T_T, anyways, this story has little chapters left. Please bear with me! We give huge thanks with bouquet of roses to my wonderful beta, NikkiCross, her amazing efforts in little time helped produce this chapter faster. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Can I sit here?"_

 _Black, listless eyes looked up at the intruder in their vicinity, and a young kid stood before them. Probably around the age of eleven or so, his eyes held a bizarre yet intriguing shade of blue whilst his hair matched the bright sun rays in its vibrancy. Spiked up all over the place, it complimented a tan complexion sporting three whispers on each cheek, and the young profile was perfected with a bright grin. Sasuke blinked to be able to grasp the whole outline in his head. He looked away from the human asking permission to sit beside him and continued gazing at the lake streaming close by._

 _The other seemed to think Sasuke's gesture meant that he could do what he wanted, and the grass rustled beside him as the blond took a seat._

 _"So I've seen you here before, what's your name?" the blond inquired._

 _Sasuke stayed silent. He really wasn't in the mood for chit chat, nor did he want to make friends. Especially not with the neighborhood kids. Human interactions of any sort were forbidden in his list, so he felt no compelling need to bother with a reply. The chatterbox beside him, however, didn't yield._

 _"Okay. If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. My name's Uzumaki Naruto… ummm… nice to meet you."_

 _Sasuke cast a glance towards the boy, and sure enough a beaming smile was in waiting. He feigned ignorance._

 _The child known as Naruto continued talking as if he had no idea he was being ignored. "So like I said, I always see you here. I play ball with my friends in the park nearby, you know it?" He gestured to the spacious park on his right, yet the raven made no motion to indicate he did. "I… umm… I don't know how to say this and it's very strange I know, but do you want to be friends?"_

 _This caught Sasuke's attention and he looked the other in the eyes, slightly piqued by the odd request. "…Friends?"_

 _"Yeah!" Naruto got excited at the reaction, small as it was. "You're always alone, right? My friends and I would love to have you play with us. So come on, join in!"_

 _Friends._

 _That word resonated inside his head. How long has it been since he last used it? He didn't know; the memories themselves were too far off. Vague. Sasuke didn't hate the ring the word gave, however, and his eyes studied the blond very keenly. There was radiance and clarity, something he hadn't seen in a while as he had never encountered such a pure soul. He could see and feel it. The boy beside him held a very big and tender heart; a gentle and warm aura was engulfing him. His aura formed a shield, protecting the beautiful soul from the blackness of the world. They were total opposites._

 _Maybe playing the friends game wouldn't be as much of an awful thing as he'd presumed. Throughout his journey across time, he'd come across people asking to be his friends - companions and the like - though it never ended well. Sasuke had never befriended kids before, yet, so maybe the young had a better outcome than the rest._

 _His analytical brain couldn't help but question still. "Why do you want to be friends?"_

 _Naruto blinked, obviously startled by the odd question. He rubbed his head thinking then a smile plastered onto his face. "Because you seem sad and lonely and no one should be like that."_

 _Sasuke saw the light that shone from the boy beside him get stronger, without his knowledge, his mouth twitched into a small smile. The boy didn't just have a good aura but also a nice intuition. It made Sasuke all the more reluctant to taint him._

 _"That's some deep insight you have there," Sasuke mumbled._

 _"So will you?" Naruto beamed. "Be my friend?"_

 _Sasuke looked at the lake before him and saw his reflection. The image of a thirty something year old man stared back at him, hair falling loosely around his frame and one eye was hidden so gracefully between his locks. Wanting to see just what the kid had seen to make him approach such an old man, the raven paused his rejection and instead asked._

 _"Before that, answer me. How do I appear to you?"_

 _Naruto's brows furrowed as his hands crossed in front of his chest, puzzled. "Appear? Like, look?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _The blond looked the other up and down; his eyes perceived a kid around his age. The way he was sitting didn't give Naruto a clear estimation about his height so he didn't go there. Spiked black hair reminded him of a chicken's butt (he chuckled inwardly), but the other had nice features, and he was sure Sakura would go crazy if she'd seen him. A small part of him flared with a sense of jealousy. Shaking his emotions back to normal, he thought of an answer but his mind could only blurt._

 _"Well I don't know… you look like me, I guess."_

 _Black orbs shone to him and Sasuke urged. "Like how?"_

 _"Err… same age maybe. You look like someone from my grade, you have black hair and eyes and I think we're of the same height. I'm probably taller," Naruto snickered, "Is that what you meant?"_

 _Soon after Naruto finished his words, Sasuke felt a sting of pain strike his body. In a matter of seconds, his body shifted, his clothes altered and his image shifted to another before his startled eyes. Shocked, he looked at the lake, and indeed, the reflection he'd seen moments ago changed into the one described by the blond. Sasuke could barely reign in his gasp of horror. This… something like this_ _should not be possible. Not for the blond. Not for anyone. His gaze swung around to face Naruto, heart stuttering, as he thought, who was_ _this kid?_

 _This has never happened before. No one had the ability to change his appearance simply by stating it. Sure, he'd come across individuals who were able to see his true appearance and not fall for the disguise, but… never this._

 _The black haired male had lived a very long life; encountered countless miracles and amazing individuals but this was a first. There he was, being given a new facade by a mere child. Sasuke's lifeless eyes came back to life just a little bit. Fisting his hand, he took a deep breath and questioned._

 _"What did you say your name was again?"_

 _Naruto's eyes glittered with delight, he answered excitedly. "Uzumaki, Uzumaki Naruto!"_

 _Sasuke extended his pale hand and grasped Naruto's. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke; I'll be in your care from now on, Naruto-kun."_

 _The blond felt his cheeks get hot as a fine blush decorated his face when Sasuke gave him a smile. He felt something in him throb, Naruto was puzzled as to what was happening but was glad that everything worked out well for him. Squeezing the cold hand, Naruto chirped._

 _"Nice to meet you too, Sasuke-kun!"_

* * *

Sasuke looked at the fireplace and twirled the glass of wine in his hands. His brain was replaying the old memories, like the first time he'd come in contact with Uzumaki Naruto and how special his existence was. The light around him was shining in a beautiful hue, illuminating his clear cut features. He recalled the first time he was introduced to Naruto's inner circle of friends. They were all very fascinating and full of life, but the girls were soon fawning over him and Sasuke knew better.

When he had agreed to take Naruto's hand, his curiosity had won him over. He wanted to get closer to the individual with those powers. A small part of him hoped that by doing so, he'd be able to understand himself better and what he was truly meant to do. Throughout his life, he was oblivious to that.

The moment he opened his eyes to the world, war surrounded him. He lived through many tragedies and witnessed suffering from a young age. Even when peace came, he remained in turmoil. The people he was close with perished one after another but he kept going. Any relationship he worked hard to secure vanished under the cold sand. He reclaimed himself to a lifetime of agony and misery. Ceaselessly.

Sasuke didn't know what he was. At times he thought it would be best to die and give up life altogether, but somehow he couldn't do that. He didn't know if he was immortal or not, but death certainly hadn't come knocking at his door. He encountered various diseases, but they never took his life. He had survived even the serious ones.

Sasuke knew it was atonement.

He'd transgressed against God and this was his punishment. His soul didn't recall what grave sin he'd committed, but the result was to spend eternity living a life of loneliness. He found that his appearance could be changed; molded after a certain amount of time, and he had that ability amongst others. Sasuke tried experimenting on himself to check what he was, cutting himself and burning his body. The wounds healed faster than a normal human's. The scars vanished and his skin returned to normal.

He had searched religion and philosophy, read tons of theories and books, but none gave a clear cut explanation to what he was. He wasn't an angel or a demon. He was just… a being. He didn't fit any category. After about fifty years of going without an answer, he gave up and decided that he wasn't human. He was a being that simply lived too long and had abilities a human didn't. That's why he gave himself a role; a mission and a reason for living. He was an observer, the record keeper for humanity.

His role on Earth was not to judge or live, but simply to record the life of man. Somehow, once he started doing that, a feeling of relief came over him. As if his soul was telling him that this indeed was his calling.

Something had changed the day he met Naruto. It was almost as if destiny was molding around the two of them and altering what Sasuke could and could not be. How naive he had been. He sensed that that boy would end up changing him. Sasuke snickered at the irony of fate. In fact, he'd longed for human affection for ages, and connecting with Naruto gave the black hole he called a heart purpose. He felt complete. During his life, he discarded his emotions and turned into a machine. He would record death with no emotions. Nothing fazed him. Even if he was in the midst of tragedy, it was a simple event that needed to be written down.

Yet when he was with Naruto, whatever he was doing, be it playing around, riding bicycles or doing homework, he was satisfied. His heart was filled and his existence acknowledged. His emotions were returning bit by bit. He was changing back to a human, but Sasuke knew it wasn't right and it wouldn't last. His role was to record and live utterly alone. The universe wouldn't allow interference.

He spent many years enjoying life beside Naruto and his world, before disaster struck. Naruto lost his father in tragedy. The house caught on fire and the man perished in a second. The blond lost the light inside his eyes and Sasuke couldn't stand it. He'd tried everything in his power to return it but the void was too big. That's when he'd realized, his existence was the reason. Naruto's father should have lived a long and prosperous life; he did enough records to know that. So it only meant one thing, the universe was sending him a warning.

He was to stay away from the blond.

Sasuke felt the heart that he'd acquired break when he came to that realization. It was hard and he didn't like doing it, but he did. He kept his distance. Through the decades, he noticed how forgetful humans were. If the right amount of time passed, they'd forget things that one day had meant the world to them. He relied on that. However it didn't happen. The blond came to seek him. Sasuke refused him countless of times but Naruto didn't want to leave.

There was a bond between them. Sasuke knew Naruto felt it and didn't want to let it go. That's when the blond started to visit him regularly. Taking shelter in the garden outside the giant manor he'd acquired with time. Naruto had decided to plant some trees and flowers there, every single day he'd come and tend to them. Sasuke was pained every time he'd see the plants the blond put. Time passed and they increased in number. Just when Sasuke thought that maybe he'd read the universe's message wrong, disaster number two struck.

Haruno Sakura got into a car accident and was between life and death.

That's when he decided that he'd rely on his abilities to make things right. If Naruto was adamant on not letting him go, he'd force him to. Yet before he did his plan, he tried talking to the blond. The first time he did it, Naruto fainted and didn't wake up for two weeks. The second time he did it, the blond lost all memories of a whole day. The third time, Naruto started forgetting things about himself. That's when Sasuke gave up on attempting telling Naruto the truth and simply went to the plan that he didn't like. Erasing his existence from Naruto's world.

First he started with Naruto's close friends; he changed their memories one by one, overwriting the records individually. Sakura's memory was a little tricky to change because she was unconscious, but he was able to pull it off. The problem was with the object of his affection, Uzumaki Naruto. The blond was delighted when Sasuke asked to meet.

The raven could still see the happiness in those eyes he'd come to love. It was his treasure. Naruto was the reason why he was alive, and as corny as it sounded, he believed with all his might that he was made to meet the blond and love him. But as the momentary happiness passed, he saw how broken the blond was. He'd lost the father he loved so much and not soon after, his best friend was on her death bed. Not to forget how Sasuke was shutting him out. The bright aura that he'd always seen around Naruto was dimming. His treasure was losing its shine.

With strong arms, he engulfed Naruto in a bone-crushing hug. He allowed all the unspoken feelings to transfer between them. Since before, he was bad with words but the kiss he'd given the blond was enough to show him the pain and happiness he was feeling inside. Gently, he rewrote Naruto's memories. Erasing himself from them. Sasuke found his eyes tearing up when he was done. His heart broke in pieces, but it was alright. A life of loneliness was just fine as long as his Naruto was happy.

Just like turning on a switch, the universe seemed to forgive him as Haruno Sakura made a miraculous recovery. Her memory of the accident was vague and everything related to Sasuke was wiped clean. Again to the world, he didn't exist.

Years passed and life was hard to live. He tried to take his life many times, but failed miserably. Keeping the records. His mission was still not fulfilled. Sasuke wanted to see Naruto in every given second; he wanted to escape the agony. However he feared the consequences. So he moved, went to a different country, another continent, a place where Naruto didn't exist.

He put himself in exile.

Yet that didn't help. The image of Naruto was always haunting him. Every time he closed his eyes, he'd see that beautiful, dorky grin. His ears remembered Naruto's voice as he called him, the times they spent sitting around or bickering. It was all written down to his cells. That's when an idea came to his mind. If he couldn't forget Naruto in this time, he should just jump in time until he reaches a place where Naruto's existence wasn't so strong.

Jumping time forward was something he didn't try before, it took him a while to get the hang of it right. He had to tattoo some strange circles on his back, but wanting to escape Naruto's ghost, he jumped. Four or eight years to the future, Sasuke didn't calculate, yet the journey took its toll on his body and battered him up. He wasn't dead – couldn't die, but he was wounded. That's when a kind stranger came and patched him up. Sasuke was in shock when the familiar image of Naruto embraced him again. His emotions were overwhelmed. He was overwhelmed. Not knowing what to do, he decided to stay silent.

Naruto didn't remember him; he treated him as a complete stranger. No, scratch that, he was treated like a cat. Sasuke was being careful. The blond might not remember him, but the universe will still act in ways that forbade them getting together. His brain thought a lot of times before he decided to take a chance and visited Naruto that first time. To his dismay, the blond didn't have any solid relationships, probably his subconscious was still keeping their bond alive, and Sasuke mourned the possibility.

How many chances could he get? How many visits were allowed before everything started to break again? Will Naruto remember him? Will he respond to him without any deep meanings? Would his existence in the other's world be forgiven?

Sasuke's brain was in overdrive everyday he saw Naruto, however the minute he touched his hand, he was calmed. The demons inside of him, his anxiety, everything would disappear. That's when his brain came up with another idea. What if he could redo everything again? What if he could take Naruto back in time to just before his father died? Could this sequence of events trigger something different? If he could save Minato from any disaster, then he and Naruto could be together.

The both of them were stuck in time. He couldn't move forward knowing everything and Naruto couldn't move forward knowing nothing. That's why Sasuke put a huge gamble on another chance. He left the black box that was used as a channel between times in Naruto's apartment, and just when the blond touched it, he knocked him out and started the rituals.

He knew that this time, the effect wouldn't be as minor as the injuries he'd sustained. He was trying to change their fates and the price would be great. Sasuke didn't mind paying everything himself.

The fire before him flickered a couple of times and he looked at the place where his left arm should have been, yet there was nothing but empty clothes. He'd paid his left eye and arm but didn't regret it once. Taking another sip of the vintage wine, he looked at the rain outside. The rainy season was very quick to hit Konoha, and though it was sad, it was perfect to match his mood.

Standing upright, he put the empty glass on the table before calling it a night. Thinking of the past always tired him, and as much as he wanted to change his situation, apparently, he was doomed to a life of loneliness. How sad it was that it took so much effort to come to point zero once more.

* * *

"Naruto, are you okay?"

The blond looked from his location on the tree to the ground. None other than Sakura stood there holding her bright yellow umbrella. The rain was coming to a drizzle and the weather was cold. His school uniform was half wet. He looked at her small silhouette and nodded, forcing a smile.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan. What are you doing here?"

"I came to get you. Class has started," she answered, not believing a word he'd said.

"…Yeah, you can go on ahead, I'm ditching," he mumbled.

Sakura looked at him with a frown, she took out a napkin and wiped a nearby bench under the tree Naruto was sitting on. As the pink-haired cheerleader closed her umbrella and sat down, she spoke, explaining her behavior.

"Then I'll ditch too."

Naruto grinned at her. "You don't need to, I'm really okay."

"Naruto," Firmly, she called his name. "You don't have to tell me what happened, but please don't lie to me. I deserve that much."

The blond's eyes widened slightly, before he dropped the forced grin and nodded. "…Sorry."

"Don't be."

They stayed like that in silence. It had been a week since Naruto's sudden return. Sakura was more than elated that he was there, but it appeared something was off. Sure, Naruto did everything _'Naruto'_ should do – he apologized for ditching school, accepted the punishment his school and father, after being informed by the school of his absences, gave him – but her gut told her something changed. Naruto refused to say anything about where he was or why he'd disappeared and Sakura didn't push it. Yet she really wanted to know. She wanted to take some of the burden off his shoulders. However, Naruto didn't want that and she respected that. For now, she'd be by his side, giving her silent support every time he needed it.

Just like always.

* * *

The day came to an end and they went back home. Naruto declined his friends' invitation to go to their usual café, complaining that he was on a curfew. Going to his house, the blond took a glass of juice and went to the backyard. He gazed at the cloudy skies and his brain went on overdrive.

Sasuke, since that fateful night, hadn't seen him again. The raven male didn't show his face in school. A part in Naruto was worried but he was angrier than anything else. He hated that Sasuke lied to him, hated being a lab-rat to whatever experiment he was cooking. A part of him defended Sasuke, telling him that he should give the male another chance, but he'd already done that. He gave more than enough chances and Sasuke refused them all, saying stupid shit like how he didn't know what will happen if Naruto knew. As if life would disappear… he was making a mountain out of molehill.

The other part argued that Naruto didn't really know if it was something little or not. Maybe the information was best not being known. Ignorance is bliss. Yet Naruto rejected staying ignorant anymore. He was in the dark too many times, his feelings and his memories, he was questioning everything. If Sasuke was the same from his timeline, then there was a high chance he was the reason why Naruto was back in time. But why would he bring him back?

Was he supposed to stop some major catastrophe from happening? The only catastrophe Naruto recalled was his father's death, in that ominous fire, he remembered the date. It was two months from his current timeline. So was that the thing Sasuke brought him back for? For him to help his father not die? But wouldn't doing that mess with the natural order of things? Every movie he has ever watched about time travel warned people not to mess with time, or else the space-time continuum would shift and hell would break loose. Did Sasuke not tell him because he wanted Naruto not to save his dad?

It made no sense. Was he brought back to save or not to save? Could he actually stand still watching his father die? Naruto knew he won't be able to do that. Even if the result was a shift to hell, he'd save his father and deal with the consequences later. Sighing, he closed the door to the yard and came back in. It was getting colder as evening descended.

When he entered the living room, he saw his father, Minato, come through the front door.

"Hi, dad, how's work?"

"Naruto! Fine, it was fine, but this rain hit so suddenly I was late because of it. I think classes will be cancelled tomorrow."

Naruto smiled and nodded. "Probably. Wasn't there a similar downpour a couple of years ago?"

"Hmm… no, not that I remember."

The blond teen hit himself mentally, that didn't happen yet. The downpour that he was talking about was in the future. He cleared his though and corrected himself. "Yeah… I think I remember wrong. Anyhow, did you have lunch?"

"Yes. I went out with Kakashi. We met after he was done with his work."

Rolling his eyes, Naruto chirped, "Here I am on curfew, hungry and waiting for you and you go eat with Kakashi-sensei. Since when have you been so close?"

"He's my junior in college. You know this. Besides, we were discussing you, so be grateful that you were off the hook with detention because of him. The school wanted to expel you for a month."

"That would have been much better, actually," The blond teen mumbled under his breath.

Minato ignored his son and went up to his room to change, for after all, it had been a crazy day for him. Naruto opened the television and decided to try and shut his mind and enjoy some peace and quiet for a change.

* * *

Sakura had to excuse herself from her club-mates company as she ran behind the raven haired male. From the crowd at the station, it was quite easy to distinguish Uchiha Sasuke. He stood out like a shining black diamond. Even if she didn't want to see it, the black haired male had a mysterious aura; it attracted her on so many levels. Calling out loud, she caught his attention. Sasuke stood waiting for her arrival, so Sakura smiled at him and started speaking.

"Sasuke-kun. It's been a while, how have you been?"

"Good," he replied.

His curt reply told her that the only thing keeping him was his manners. Tucking a pink strand behind her ear, she continued.

"Glad to hear that. Well I just wanted to tell you that Naruto-kun has returned home safe and sound. So there's nothing to be worried about anymore."

"…I wasn't worried." Sasuke deadpanned.

"Yeah… err, you might not be," She chirped nervously. "But I thought you should know."

Sakura was searching for anything, a change in that cold exterior but nothing happened. The beautiful statue was just that, a beautiful statue. The mentioning of Naruto did nothing to break the shell. Sasuke started walking away, but she took hold of his hand, not done with what she wanted to say.

"Wait! I'm not done yet. If you have some time," She pointed to the café near them. "Care to have a drink with me?"

The raven looked at her then the café, he was tempted for a second to take her up on her offer, but he knew better. He was sure she would tell him everything about Naruto if he'd enquired, but right now he didn't want to know. He wasn't ready to know the condition the blond was in. It was still hard for him to heal being left alone like that again. Besides, getting close to Sakura – who was a big part of Naruto's world – meant that he'd bring the wrath of the universe on him again, his answer was made. No need to repeat history.

"Haruno Sakura-san, I don't think it's good for you to associate yourself with me. Please, keep your distance. It's better for all of us." He said in an icy tone.

The girl frowned her brows at him and asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"My words are clear. Take them as they are." Sasuke replied, somewhat annoyed.

"Well, they sound like a warning to me." Sakura growled.

"Then it's a warning."

The atmosphere around them started to change. Sakura looked him in the eye and questioned, "You know, I had suspected that you had something to do with Naruto's disappearance, but now I'm sure. You did something to him didn't you? What did you do?"

Sasuke turned his back to her and softly spoke. "Some things are better off left in the dark, child."

With that he walked away, not allowing her time to stop him. Sakura didn't feel like she could. Even though her words with him were firm, somehow she was shaking from the inside. Her intuition told her that that guy was someone she shouldn't come close to. She didn't know why but it felt like disaster was walking hand in hand with him. Her group of cheerleaders came to catch her. With a fake smile she shook the unpleasant meeting from her mind and walked with them.

In the back of her head, she prayed for her hunch to be wrong.

* * *

"Say, Naruto," Sakura started, putting a muffin in her mouth. She was at Naruto's house, deciding that it was fun to barge in on him and demand treats. The blond sweat-dropped at her randomness, but as always, he complied as his soft spot for her had never changed. "I met Sasuke-kun yesterday."

The cream bowel the blond was whipping slipped from his hands, had he not – miraculously – caught it, they'd be left with a floor filled with cream. Sakura rolled her eyes at his reaction, sternly, she scolded.

"Sheesh, can you be any more obvious," Sakura grumbled.

He smiled sheepishly to her and put the bowel back on the counter. "H-How… how was he?"

"Good, good. He was weird though. Something happened between you two, didn't it?" The jade eyed girl firmly stated. "I don't want to pry and honestly I'm waiting until you feel like telling me, but there was something off about him. You know I had the theory that he'd taken you hostage, and I still believe that that's what had happened –"

"Sakura-chan…"

She raised her hand, stopping him. "I know, I know, you denied that, but my gut is telling me this so just humor me."

He gave her a smile and continued whipping. "So, what do you mean something was off?"

"He warned me to stay away from him. When I told him about you returning, there was no reaction, but when I asked if we could sit down and talk, he refused. He also called me _'child_ ,'" she added with furrowed brows.

"'Child'?" Naruto raised a brow matching hers.

"Yeah, weird right?"

Naruto nodded. "Hmm… so anything else?"

Blinking, she asked. "All of that and you want more?"

"Well," The blond put the cream aside and fetched the chocolate syrup. "Everything you just told can be explained. Him telling you to stay away is normal, he always tells girls off. Not giving any reaction to me returning, might be because he doesn't have anything to do with me – we're not even friends," he lied flatly to her. "The odd thing is him calling you child… but it's not something big, maybe he was acting out a role from TV or something."

Sakura's frown deepened. "Yeah, no. I don't believe that. There's something more there, I just know it!"

Naruto started injecting the vanilla muffins with chocolate syrup and sighed to her. "Just don't act on it. It's fine if you're uncomfortable with this, but do what he told you, stay away from him."

The pink-haired girl stood up from her seat and walked towards him. With eyes cracking him up like a peanut, she clarified. "Listen Uzumaki Naruto, if you're by any chance hiding something because you want to protect me and stuff, then don't, I'm more able to do that myself –"

"That's not it, Sakura-chan," He interrupted her for the second time. "I just don't think its right to put your nose where it doesn't belong. This guy flatly told you to stay away from him, so do that. Comply."

Her insides told her that she should pursue the matter but the way Naruto was so adamant on her not, she decided to leave it be. Whatever happened these past few weeks, her blond friend decided that it was his business alone, her interference was unnecessary – as much as she disliked that, she respected his boundaries. Taking another muffin from the finished pile, Sakura sat back down.

"Fine! Have it your way. I'll drop it. But if a disaster happens, don't come running back to me, okay?"

Naruto nodded with a charming smile. "Thanks, Sakura."

* * *

Naruto felt like his feet had sunk into concrete. His brain told him to move and escape before Sasuke could catch him, but his body refused to obey. It was evening time, he was returning home from an outing with Shikamaru and Kiba. He'd made a detour, passing through the park next to his neighborhood. His eyes went wide when he saw the silhouette of none other than Sasuke slouching upon the lake. It was odd how he could recognize the male so easily.

People passed them by, but the blond paid them no mind. It's been close to three weeks since the last time he spoke with Sasuke. Actually, he hadn't seen him even. He'd thought of going back to that mansion, yet he had nothing to say. Actually, even now, he shouldn't be freaking out. There was nothing wrong. He'd decided to stay away from Sasuke, to leave the mysteries alone and not bother with any. He was given a second chance to do his life and this time, he was going to make all the right decisions.

Starting with staying away from any spiky-haired, strange Uchiha.

The minute he turned around and made his first step, a loud thud brought him back to where Sasuke was. Naruto was amazed at how fast his body moved, in less than a second, he was cradling the unconscious male in his arms. Calling loudly for all to hear, trying to reach to Sasuke's subconscious, but to no avail. The black haired male decided that lying on the grass there was the right thing to do.

Naruto picked up his phone and called an ambulance when he realized that Sasuke's breathing was becoming shallow. The ambulance didn't take long to get to where he was. Yet the first thing the paramedic asked upon reaching him was.

"Excuse me, sir, where's the patient?"

Naruto puzzled, gestured to the man sleeping in his arms. "What are you saying, this is him, his name's Uchiha Sasuke, and he's my friend, I just –"

"Sir, please, if you want to make a prank call, don't. There might be someone who needs this ambulance more than you. Have a good night."

With that the paramedic left one stunned Naruto behind. The blond replayed the events in his head a lot of times but he couldn't make up anything. He tried shaking Sasuke, but it was like the other was in a coma or something. Sighing, he tried to calm himself and thought of the next best thing to do. He could take Sasuke to his house, but that didn't assure he'd get the treatment he needed – besides, he really didn't want to enter that estate.

He picked up his cell again and dialed the only person that came to his mind, Haruno Sakura. He hated himself for always using her like that.

* * *

Naruto was more amazed at how his friends were acting. When he briefed Sakura about the situation, she came running – alongside Neji. Apparently he was her ride and they were together when he called. They dropped him off at his house, the blond quickly put Sasuke on his bed as his friends made themselves comfortable in his room. The weird thing was that they acted the same way as the paramedic; he felt their odd looks to each other since they met him, but since no one said anything, he shrugged it off. But when a good couple of minutes have passed, he grew irked and questioned.

"Okay, Sakura, out with it, what's wrong?"

The jade eyed female blinked, she and Neji shared a look, then with all compassion in the world, she returned his question. "No, Naruto, what's wrong with _you_?"

He blinked. "Nothing, I'm fine. It's you who has been acting fidgety since before."

Neji seemed to be the one to speak this time round; he tucked astray lock behind his beautiful face and said. "Naruto-kun, if I may, you called saying that Uchiha-san is hurt and he needs our help, right?"

The blond nodded.

"Yeah, see the thing is, where's Sasuke-kun?" Sakura interrupted Neji's upcoming question.

Naruto felt the frustration he experienced with the paramedic come back to him. He pointed to his bed and said in a clear voice. "What do you mean where? He's lying on my bed, can't you see him?"

"Naruto, are you sure you're fine? Maybe you hit your head with something or..."

"Sakura-chan, I haven't gone crazy… how can you not see him?"

Neji stood up and walked to the bed, he put his hand on the pillow and pushed in. Naruto's eyes went wide when he saw Neji's hand go right through Sasuke's head. Neji moved his hand sideways to emphasize his point; Naruto looked horrified when the pale hand moved through Sasuke's body as if it was air.

"You… You really can't see him."

Sakura came to stabilize Naruto's shaking form and nodded. "I'm sorry, we can't. I don't know what's happening, Naruto, but are you telling me that Sasuke-kun is lying there?"

The blond sat down and took a moment to get everything through his head, his eyes clearly saw Sasuke but what Neji did was right. There was no Sasuke there. Was he hallucinating? Well whatever it was, he needed to deal with it himself. With a grim tone, he clearly spoke.

"I'm sorry but I want you both to leave."

"Leave?" Sakura started. "You must be kidding me –"

A gentle hand came to reside on her shoulder; she looked to see Neji shaking his head. His eyes told her to do as she was asked. It was late and all this was sounding heavy, she knew that Naruto probably saw things that she didn't and it upset her, she wanted to be there, to know everything, and not to be pushed away. However, the reality was different. Naruto here was making clear lines. He crossed her out. As much as she wanted to argue, she felt that it wasn't the right time.

With gritted teeth, Sakura turned her back to Naruto. "Fine. We'll leave for today… but you have to tell me everything later."

Naruto stayed silent, Neji bid him goodbye and closed the door with a soft _'we'll see ourselves out'_. With the room now quiet and no one was there to question him, Naruto crawled on his bed and laid next to the unconscious Uchiha. He extended a shaky hand to him, yet the moment it connected with Sasuke's skin, he released a sigh he didn't know he was holding.

"Sasuke… I don't know what's happening anymore. What are you?" He looked at his own hand and muttered. "What am I?"

Then everything turned black.

* * *

Naruto felt a bang and a buzz echo inside his head; unconsciously he grabbed his throbbing head and opened his eyes. If he remembered clearly, he'd fallen asleep beside Sasuke. Blinking, he felt a sense of déjà vu wash over him, how many times has he been in this situation – waking to total confusion? Sighing in agony, he tried to blink and clear his vision, what he saw awed him.

He was certainly in his room, but it was glowing a shiny golden color. His closet, the dresser, the floor and as he looked at the bed, his eyes went wider at seeing his body lying there, holding Sasuke's close. Blinking, he noticed that he was actually floating – more precisely hovering – over said body. Frowning he tried to put two and two together, he remembered seeing a movie about this, astral projection they called it. Strangely enough, he didn't feel anything odd. Perhaps he'd already developed immunity to the supernatural. A ghost could pop out and he won't sweat a drop. He floated close to his body and tried to touch it, but nothing happened. His hand went through it. He concluded that either he was dreaming, or this shit just got real.

A groan left Sasuke's mouth, directing Naruto's attention to the raven haired male and he sighed. His heart did a couple of flips and he realized how much he really missed the other. He'd tried to stop thinking about Sasuke, but seeing him lying there, sleeping with that handsome face just brought all of his suppressed feelings afloat. Lost in a daze, the blond reached his transparent hand, trying to touch Sasuke however, a calm voice stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The blond jumped, his sight quickly shifting to his right. Naruto blinked. He was sure there was no one there, then where did this person pop-up from? The male hovering close to him had the same transparent look, Naruto's eyes shone with an unknown emotion. In a split second, he had the layout of the other memorized to a tee. The man looked older than he was, had long black hair, flowing to reach his back and tied at the end. His bangs hid most of his facial features from Naruto's sight, but he was able to locate a black orb looking at him. For some reason, Naruto blushed. It felt like a child being caught with his hands down the cookie jar.

As he lowered his gaze, the blond caught the absence of the man's left arm. It was strange, yet he felt as if he'd seen this person before. Trying to sound normal in an abnormal situation, Naruto asked.

"What do you mean?"

"If you touch me, your energy would be sucked right in and right now who knows what might happen to you."

"Touch you?" Naruto's brows furrowed, soon though, the realization hit him and shock was visible on his face. "You… you're Sasuke?"

"…One of my names."

The man before him looked nothing short of the end of his second decade, what he knew of Sasuke was something else. Naruto tried to organize the thoughts in his head and prioritize the important ones.

"Sasuke, I'm very confused right now. Why are we here in this form and why do you look like this?"

"I know you are," The man started. "You might not believe me when I say this, Naruto, but I wish to tell you everything, but that can't happen. You can't handle it… precisely, your body can't."

"Why are you assuming this? How about we try it first?"

"We did. The information have a spiritual toll, with word comes power. Each person is born with a certain limit to their spiritual energy. The words that we speak and hear influence that energy, in your case, your spiritual energy is very weak – that's why you can't handle all this." He grimly looked at their joint bodies.

"This doesn't make sense. Why is my spiritual energy weak? I feel healthy."

"Physical health has nothing to do with spiritual one. Besides, you're weak because of me. I had linked us together, you and I share the same energy – no, that's not right; I am leeching off your energy. That's why you've grown weak spiritually and that's why the words affect you strongly."

Even though Sasuke had explained it in a way that made it clear, the blond still didn't understand. How could two living people, considering Sasuke is human which he was doubting at the moment, share the same soul?

"Sasuke, do you mean we have the same soul? Could that even be possible?"

"Not soul, Naruto, spiritual energy. Your soul emits your energy; a lot of people live their lives not using it. It lies dormant in them. In the old times, people harvested that energy and used it for a lot of things. However, with the passing of time, and evolving of machinery, man decided that it's best to forget the way to harvest that energy. So right now, only one or two people on Earth are able to work this energy into materialization."

"Does that mean you're one of those people?" The blond skeptically looked at him, the words were still feeling like mumbo-jumbo, but he was floating above his body, back in time, so he should probably keep an open mind.

"No, I am not." Sasuke firmly stated, with no further explanation.

Naruto frowned. "Well, even if my energy is weak as you claim and even if my body can't handle it, I would still want to hear the truth. I have a right to know what the hell I'm mixed up in."

The man known as Sasuke floated close to the blond upon his sharp demand, the hair covering his face moved a little allowing Naruto vision. The blond felt his blush return. This form of Sasuke was extremely attractive, long hair suited him perfectly. He was forced to snap to attention when Sasuke's melodious voice started.

"I won't go into details, but I'll give you the big picture. When you picked me up in front of your apartment, that wasn't the first time we had met. You and I share a common past, Naruto." Sasuke avoided those astonished blue orbs and continued. "Bad events happened in the past, events I was the cause of, I sinned against you and I tried to redeem myself by disconnecting from you. I tried it on many occasions, but I always failed miserably. The first time we met, you were a little kid, unknowingly to both of us, you shared your spiritual energy with me and for years, I kept bathing in it. When I found out what was happening, I tried to cut the connection, but like I said before, it was impossible. I became a being that is unable to exist on my own. My spiritual energy has vanished – probably sucked – into your powerful one."

The blond listened attentively to the tale, with each passing second; he could explain the feeling of déjà vu that washed over him every time Sasuke got close.

"Now, to our current ordeal, the day you left the mansion, I felt our connection weaken. Since you've decided to ignore my existence, your energy followed suit. I'm being repelled from you; that's why no one other than you is able to see me. I became unable to maintain a solid form in front of people. If you hadn't found me tonight, I might have vanished already. I'm still here because you haven't severed the connection completely. It's pathetic," Sasuke cursed under his breath, dissatisfied with himself, "I'm pathetic."

"So, in short," Naruto felt his mouth twitch upward into a smile. "You can't live without me."

The raven haired male disliked the tinge of delight he detected in the other's tone. "..."

His smile was a full blown grin right now. Having some satisfaction at that, Naruto moved to the other thing that was bothering him. "I would take that as a yes, so what's up with your get up? Why do you look like this?"

The adult of the two stayed silent. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Sasuke," The blond started. "A: you shouldn't worry about me losing energy because the situation we are in tells that I am not, it's you whose energy is dying off. B: I don't remember you telling me about the past, but please, have faith in me. I won't break a second time."

"You broke before," Sasuke retorted. His mind recalling the memories of Naruto's passing out and the horrible feeling it left him with.

"Well, the past is the past, today is today, you never know what might happen. At least tell me something I can work with. Don't forget it's your judgment and decisions that put us here. Trust me and let's try to escape this fate together. Give me a chance."

A picture of Naruto saying words similar to those flashed before Sasuke's vision. His friend was always one who wanted him to share the burden, unfortunately it was pointless. He'd feel better when he shared, but the result was always the same. Naruto would end up forgetting. However a small part in him decided that maybe this time would be different. They weren't in their physical bodies, so perhaps Naruto's energy will be able to withstand everything. Maybe he has a chance after all. The older version of Sasuke contemplated this thought, it wasn't something that he wanted to do and there were going to be consequences, however, the blond was right. His way of doing things have put them in a stall. He needed to approach the subject from a different angle.

"Alright, I think a change won't be so bad."

"No, it won't." Naruto excitedly affirmed.

"I believe it would be best to start from the beginning, you might wonder who I am." Naruto nodded, "Well to put it simply, I didn't lie to you when I said I'm an observer. I think God put me on this world to record the actions of man. I don't know what I might be called, but I don't think I'm an angel or a demon. I existed as long as I can remember. Time seemed irrelevant to me. I witnessed many ages and decades and lived through different wars and catastrophes. Without realizing, I turned into a machine, working all the time, recording anything of importance, while I lost my heart and forgot its existence. That is until I met you."

Sasuke looked the floating blond in the eyes and a small smile showed on his face. Naruto felt his cheeks redden with heat; Sasuke's smile was to die for.

"You were twelve when we met. You were so pure and innocent. I was unconsciously drawn to that light. You've asked us to be friends, you were so stupid but I agreed."

Naruto watched the handsome face glow ever so slowly, all Sasuke's words were foreign to his ears, he had no memory of them, but he didn't interrupt, a part of him told him that if he broke Sasuke's chain, that this charm will end and he won't know what's what.

"I was reluctant at first, but when my form changed to what you perceived me as, I thought it was a sign. Maybe I was allowed a friend this time, maybe I was allowed your company. Not long we became inseparable. You introduced me to your life, your home and friends. Those were the best years of my life – and I've lived long." Sasuke's eyes seemed to look past the blond into the past he'd buried deep in his heart. It has been long since he spoke of it. It was a treasure he kept hidden, afraid a day might come where all of it would be stolen from him. "We were happy… until…"

With that Sasuke stopped talking. His face took a dark turn; he bit his lower lip as the awful events poured into him. Naruto's father's death. Sakura's grave accident. Naruto's breakdown and the hideous way he chose to abandon him with. It all left a bitter taste in his mouth. He will never forgive himself for giving Naruto those memories. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Naruto's pleading eyes, standing in his garden, begging Sasuke to come out and talk to him, wanting his comfort and support. He'd decided cruelly to leave Naruto and keep distance – not once has he thought there was a way for them to be together. Truth was, he was afraid. He didn't want to reach a stage where living without Naruto would be impossible… such ironic turn of events.

"Sasuke?" The blond beside him called him back from his inner darkness. "Are you alright?"

A concerned face looked at him; Naruto was as cute as he remembered him. He loved Naruto's face, whenever they were studying and Naruto would doze off, Sasuke would stare until he could no longer bare it. A pale hand extended to cup Naruto's whiskered cheek. They were transparent, but strangely enough, Naruto was able to feel the touch of the other. The blond allowed the intrusion and placed his hand onto Sasuke's.

Sasuke's face squeezed in pain, trying with all his powers to apologize for his misdeeds. "I'm so sorry, Naruto. If there was another way to get you out of that misery, I would have done it… forgive me, please, I couldn't think of anything else..."

The blond had no idea what the other was so bent up about, but the agony in that visible eye told him all he needed to know. With a force he didn't know he had, he pulled Sasuke closer to him. Giving the tormented man a hug that he knew he needed. Naruto tried to think of comforting words, but nothing came to mind, he didn't know if saying anything would help increase or decrease Sasuke's pain, so he held him tight. Closed his arms around Sasuke's manly body and made him feel safe.

They stayed that way until the raven-haired male relaxed. Sasuke drew back a little from the hug, enough to be able to speak without his voice getting muffled.

"You probably don't understand and it's alright… anyway, my energy is decreasing and I think the only means for it to replenish is for you to let me go."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "That doesn't sound right. You have no energy left, you're existing due to my energy, if I cut you off, doesn't that mean that you'll disappear?."

"Not necessarily. While it's true I'm relying on you, if I leave your side my initial energy should return. It's a risky solution but it's the only one we have right now."

"Can't I just not ignore your existence anymore? I mean, the only reason why you're disappearing is because I shunned you out –"

"I might have mentioned it, but it's not the only reason. I've lived a long time so my energy has reached its limit. I think that happened when we first met, and I relied on your energy because it was strong. However, I think my energy has refilled enough to secure me alone. I just want you to believe in me and allow me to let go. Can you do that?" Sasuke pleaded.

Naruto felt insecure with this whole situation. He felt like the other was playing him again, his gut told him not to follow with Sasuke's words, but the way those eyes were looking at him, he couldn't refuse. However, what would he do if Sasuke was tricking him into something else again? He tried to get rid of those thoughts and not allow doubt to enter his heart again… something that was very hard to do with Sasuke's nature.

The raven moved away from Naruto, allowing the other full capacity to think without distractions. He knew he was asking a lot of the other, but again, it was the only choice he thought of. Naruto needed to let him go and he needed to vanish. They both needed to break away from this vicious cycle they were in. he loved Naruto too much to allow him this burden. What he failed to mention to the blond was that the longer they stay connected, the faster Naruto's energy would be consumed. He'd die sooner than anticipated. Sasuke has stolen so much from the blond, he wasn't about to steal whatever life he had left.

His black orbs fixated on Naruto as a loud sigh escaped those lips he loved so much. With a reluctant face, Naruto spoke.

"Alright. I would do it, tell me what I need to do."

Sasuke gave the other a nod. "It's easy, close your eyes first."'

Naruto obeyed.

"Think of me."

A smile showed on Naruto's face, even if he didn't want to, his head was already filled with thoughts of the other. "Easy."

Sasuke ignored the remark that sent butterflies to his stomach and continued his instructions. "Now, think that you and I hold a thread together, think of yourself bringing a scissor and cutting it."

The blond did as told, he imagined the whole act and the minute it was done, he opened his eyes only for them to grow wider.

"Sasu –"

"Thank you, Naruto."

That was the last thing he heard alongside Sasuke's smiling face before the floating raven disappeared from his vision entirely. Horrified, the blond looked at Sasuke's body lying next to his, in bubbles of warm light, the body disappeared into thin air. Suddenly it all turned black and Naruto knew.

He was tricked yet again.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. Review and tell me your thoughts. My best part is always reading your reviews, they make me want to write more! ^_^**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author Notes**

 **Sorry for the delay, a lot was happening. I was finally able to find a beta for this chapter, so many thanks to naomi-stories for her edits! :D We all love you! Enjoy!**

* * *

A week passed and Naruto wasn't able to get out of bed. The main issue was the killer headaches; it felt like his head had split into two. The pain continued to grow until he couldn't take it anymore and broke out in fits of screams. Then came the heartache and the agony, he was hit with pulses of broken memories. In the beginning, the blond wasn't able to see anything. His brain felt like a broken VCR that had suddenly been fixed. Every image was a blur. It took a while to organize them, and even then, he wasn't sure about the right chronological order. Yet after a while, his brain adjusted and through the pain, he was able to see some memories.

He saw the first time he'd met Sasuke, the raven-haired male had the appearance of a small kid. Naruto felt his eleven-year-old self's emotion spurt to engulf him. Feelings of sorry for the lonely kid and wanting to add him to his group, mixed with bright and joyful sentiments pulled at his heartstrings. Naruto's eyes teared at the memory. He saw how the light shone inside Sasuke's eyes when he asked him to be friends.

Another came showing Naruto welcoming the mysterious kid into his home. Apparently it was after school, they had their backpacks alongside their gakuran on. Sasuke was a bit uncomfortable but Naruto's cheerful attitude soon made him more relaxed. A happy smile presented on Sasuke's face. Naruto hated how he'd forgotten that expression.

A not so beautiful memory presented itself, it filled him with dark emotions. It was the first time Sakura met Sasuke. The blond was always crushing on his best friend. Seeing how easily Sasuke was able to snatch her heart from him ruled his heart with jealousy. Naruto snickered at the memory. How childish he was.

Multiple memories showed next, their first cultural festival, their first trip out of town, first new year's, first Halloween and many more joyful events that he just couldn't find it in his heart to forgive Sasuke for robbing.

Naruto's body was taking it hard, recovering slowly from the gulps of memories. His father had forced him into going to the hospital – having seen how bad his son's condition was – but no pain reliever was able to soothe his heart. The blond knew in his core, his soul was suffering the loss of Sasuke and he just needed to find a way to cope. After two days of being admitted, he'd decided to leave to his house against his father's and the doctor's wishes. He cooped inside his room, left only for the bathroom and to eat. Naruto tried to organize the past life that he was just seeing.

It was hard and he breathed hell in it, but he kept on remembering. He found that Sasuke was honestly a very big part of his life. He was enchanting, cool and smart. He did everything impeccably. It was not strange that the girls in his class alongside his childhood friend would direct feelings of affection to him. He remembered how his bitter feelings shifted, from being jealous of Sasuke to being jealous of the girls' shouting love confessions to him. However, when Sasuke just laughed at every confession he got, Naruto was proud to have him all to himself.

Every time a girl was ignored because of him, he felt superior. Until the day came when he was old enough to be able to put a label on his feelings. He liked Sasuke. He was in the same poet as those crazy stalkers, maybe even worse. He'd resigned his life with Sasuke as default. In a second, it was all-natural. The memories told Naruto about the past that Sasuke kept hidden. They told him of a younger self, a different world yet similar emotions. Why did Sasuke feel the need to shield it away, he couldn't tell.

Naruto remembered when his father died, the hurt that patched a black hole in his heart reopened. He also recalled the strange way Sasuke detached himself from him, how many times he went to beg Sasuke to see him. His younger self was devastated by the way he was being treated. He and Sasuke should have been together forever. Nothing should have come between them, the blond was broken to see his relationship with Sasuke shatter right before his eyes. He needed the raven-haired male to be by his side, but that didn't happen.

Then Sakura got into an accident, she kept battling to keep her life, and Naruto clutched at every optimistic cell in him not to lose her. She was the sister he never had, and if he had lost her, he didn't know if he'd be able to keep breathing. Disasters were just coming to take his most important people away from him.

That's when Sasuke came to him, his memory blacked out as to what had happened between them. Yet, he recalled that Sasuke was very broken. Naruto couldn't forget Sasuke's expression at that time. He could still feel the hug that Sasuke gave him, very tight as if he didn't want to let him go. Naruto's tears fell again. Multiple times he had relapses when he reached that memory. He'd break out in fits of screams and pains, so Naruto tried to connect the dots. His brain told him that that was probably when Sasuke tried telling him everything. Apparently Sasuke didn't lie about his weak constitution.

Then Naruto remembered the last time he saw Sasuke. The raven-haired male was wearing a black hoodie, he had asked Naruto to meet in the garden near the café they frequented, Naruto flew to the location, glad at any chance to meet Sasuke. However, he wasn't ready for what had happened.

Touching his lips, the blond recalled vividly the soft kiss that was planted onto his lips before Sasuke took it all away. His heart hurt more than his brain did at that particular memory. The blond honestly didn't feel like Sasuke was justified erasing his memories. Whatever the cause was, the raven-haired male took something that wasn't his. Naruto knew that what Sasuke did probably was something he thought of long and hard, yet he just couldn't excuse it.

Naruto still believed that he and Sasuke could have worked everything out; there must have been a different way. As he clutched his aching head, he silently shed tears onto his pillow. Right now there was no one to shout to, no person to hit and no Sasuke to bitch to. He was totally alone. The only person who knew his exact feelings – perhaps more than he did – was nowhere to be found. Naruto didn't even know if Sasuke was dead or simply ceased to exist. What did vanishing in fits of bubbles mean? The blond scratched his head many times but to no avail.

He was alone and had no answer to the mysteries. Yet again.

* * *

Sakura was worried, to say the least. She has gone to Naruto's house the following day but Minato told her that Naruto was feeling sick, he couldn't meet her. Her insides were brimming with worry when the days continued and no word came from him. Even when she found out the blond had been hospitalized, she wasn't able to meet him. Sakura allowed a sigh to escape her lips. Placing the pompoms on the bench beside her, she pulled the ring holding her hair up, down and allowed air to tangle the silky pinks.

In a second, Ino was sitting beside her. The light blond-haired beauty gave her friend a playful shove. "Forehead, you've been down for a while now, what's wrong?"

Sakura felt her nerve flare at the nickname but ignored it, unconsciously bringing a lock to hide her forehead. She puffed out a reply. "Nothing. Everything's just too messed up these days."

"Tell me, you'll feel better when it's all out." Ino gave an encouraging response as she put her own pompoms near Sakura's.

The jade eyed cheerleader gave a tiny smile. Her friend was really worried about her, it's not always that Ino allowed her kindness to show – especially to her. Sakura contemplated the effects of saying too much and ending up revealing Naruto's secret, but right now, she just didn't know what's right anymore. Deciding that it's best to share at times, she gently spoke.

"It's Naruto. I haven't seen him for a while now…" Her face took on a sullen expression

"Well," Ino started, already having an answer prepared. "You said he's sick, right? Even Kakashi-sensei confirmed it."

"Yeah, I just don't know how to explain it. He's sick but… something's off about him." Sakura's brows furrowed trying to get her point across.

The light blonde scoffed and said. "What do you mean? Off how?"

Sakura's face twisted as she tried to find the right words to use. "Like he's hiding something and doesn't want me to know. I can help him if I do, I just know it –"

"Let me stop you right there, Sakura," Ino said loud enough for her friend to hear and low enough not to attract the attention of the other cheerleaders. "I'm going to say this now because I think you're taking things the wrong way. The relationship you have with Naruto is not right. You two are friends and all, but you shouldn't forget that he'd confessed his love to you. It's true that he said he's alright after you dumbed him, but he only did that because he didn't want to disrupt the atmosphere of the group. You need to keep your distance for a while, don't get too caught up in your inner hunch and forget reality."

Sakura's face sweat-dropped and she shook her head. "It's not like that, Ino…"

"What do you mean?" The blond ran a hand through her silky ponytail and continued talking. "When Naruto was missing for a while, you went crazy searching and questioning people, I found it odd, but I let you do it because I know once you put your mind on something you never let go. Yet this time, as your best friend I can't sit down and watch this. Naruto is fine. He can handle his own shit. You need to leave him and focus on yourself. I realize this is hard to hear, but believe me, it's for the best of you. Don't run behind your hunch all the time." Ino finished with a satisfied expression, feeling good that she has finally spoken her mind.

Sakura's worries didn't lessen with her friend's words. She knew they were wrong since Naruto wasn't the Naruto they knew. However, she couldn't tell that to Ino. How could she speak of Naruto's secret and expose him like that? A: Ino won't believe her, and B: it would be betraying the blond on so many levels. Sakura just couldn't do that. Suddenly she felt really tired.

"I can't tell you everything but your words are wrong, Ino." Sakura sighed. "Naruto doesn't think of me that way anymore."

"Are you sure?" Ino retorted, tone mocking to an extent. "Naruto has been in love with you for as long as we all can remember, you pretended not to see it, heck we all pretended not to see it, but that great love doesn't vanish overnight, it's been a few months since you dumbed him… that's not enough time for him to heal if you catch my drift."

Sakura's face had a soft smile as she spoke. "Ino, listen, Naruto has bigger issues than love to deal with right now –"

"We're in high school, aside from goofing around, falling in love, what's there to worry about?" Ino jokingly stated, interrupting her friend.

Sakura wanted to point out the ambiguous future they still had to deal with, but she stopped halfway. Ino meant well, but she didn't have all the information to give solid advice. Sakura looked at the clear skies, had she known nothing, she probably would have thought Naruto was keeping a distance because of love just like Ino did. Sighing, she gave a tiny smile.

"Thanks, Ino, I'll try to think about it from your point of view."

The beautiful blond, twirled her hair as she stood up, showing off the body that made her beat Sakura in the school's beauty pageant last year, earning the crown. "I know you are only saying this to put a lid on the topic, but seriously, you need to give Naruto his space. Too much love smothers people, Sakura."

With those as her parting words, the head cheerleader went back to practice. Sakura sighed and tied her hair back into a bun, focusing on practice, for now, she took her pompoms. Since, the best way to keep busy and forget the dark cloud on her heart called Naruto was practice.

* * *

Naruto looked at his reflection in the mirror. Bags highlighted his eyes. His hair was more of a mess than normal. His body was sprayed on the floor aimlessly. Traces of tears were visible. He looked older than he felt. He honestly had no power to get up or make himself anything. He knew he needed to shower but he didn't have the energy. He was in mourning. Losing Sasuke was really overwhelming.

Sasuke was his other half.

He felt so stupid. It took him all this time to come to a realization his soul made so easily. He was sure he was drawn to the mysterious Uchiha since he was a child; because he was his soulmate. As cliché as it was, it was the truth. Naruto just couldn't hold it in any longer. He felt like he was betraying himself. Yet Sasuke was nowhere to be found. How could he restore the balance? How could he get him back? Accepting Sasuke's departure was a no-no. He won't do it. If there was magic in this world, then he'll use it, magic took Sasuke from him and magic will bring him back.

But how could he do that? He needed help, he needed someone to stand by him as he defied destiny. Sakura? No, he couldn't mix her up in his mess again. Memories of her near-death experience were still showing vividly inside his head, he felt like this was one of the reasons Sasuke apologized to him that night. Then who? Who could believe his insane story with all its unimaginable twists? His eyes grew wide when a name flashed inside his head. Hyuuga Neji.

He recalled a distant memory of when he was introducing his friends to Sasuke, Sasuke was very reluctant to befriend Neji. Actually, throughout their lives, Sasuke would always keep a low profile around Neji; he always didn't like to socialize with him. If a trip happened where Neji was there, Sasuke would find some excuse to ditch or leave. Naruto always thought the raven-haired male just didn't like the brunet, but what if there was something more to the story? Sasuke was a jigsaw puzzle and maybe one of his keys was the Hyuuga family. Naruto's eyes brimmed with hope. It was a tiny thread, but right now, he was going to cling to anything remotely tangible.

Not wasting time on anything, the blond put a jacket over his sappy look, took money from the drawer, his cell and headed out to Hyuuga Neji's residence. Ten minutes by car, that was how close he was to the other. He walked out of the cab and headed to the front gate, it's been a while since he came over to Neij's and his Japanese-styled house was as magnificent as ever, one look and anyone would know the privileged financial status of the Hyuuga family.

Naruto waited as a formal tone answered the intercom, he stated his name and asked for Neji. Not a minute later, the calm and collected tone of his friend answered him. Something in Naruto felt relieved. He didn't know why, but on the ride there, he just kept thinking all these scenarios of what he'd do if Neji wasn't there or if he refused him. Sighing that he wasn't out of the woods yet, the blond asked if he could come in.

A few minutes later, he was sitting crossed-legged across Neji. The other had a blue yukata on, showing to the blond how stuck to tradition his family was. Naruto felt somewhat conscious of his attire but right now this wasn't important. He gulped down the feelings inside him to try and make coherent words.

"I need your help, Neji." Naruto started, eyes gazing at his fisted hands, amazed at how steady his voice was. "I... I lost someone very important to me and I want you to help get him back."

"You mean Sasuke-kun?" Neji's face was very calm as his posture.

Naruto's azure orbs widened. He looked up in amazement and a gentle smile was plastered onto the other's face. "H-How did you know?"

"I know a lot more than you think I do, Naruto-kun." The brunet gave him a kind grin that revealed nothing, continuing with that sweet tone of his, Neji said. "I know that you have gained all your lost memories and I know the price was most likely Sasuke-kun's life. I also know that you've been brought from the future to here."

Blue eyes couldn't contain the bewilderment their owner felt, Naruto exclaimed through the shock. "How?! Since when?!"

Neji put a hand under his chin and thought backward. "I suspected something was wrong when you were showing behavior that the previous Naruto didn't. Probably my biggest clue was when I didn't feel the love you had for Sakura-chan. It was like a switch you turned off. Something that big doesn't just vanish instantaneously. So the reasonable explanation was that you were a different _'Naruto'_ ," Neji elaborated. "From there it was easy to tell you came from a different time. By the mature way you acted at times, your school record improved drastically," He allowed a chuckle to go out. "The Naruto I know won't be able to do that in a short time. Not to forget, you were more in control of your emotions, fewer tantrums, no craziness… and your aura… to put it simply was broader."

Naruto bit his lower lip, still confused but Neji's words made it easier. He can skip the boring introduction now and just get right to the topic, he needed to get Sasuke back. "Why didn't you come and talk to me if you knew everything from the beginning?"

"Naruto-kun, you have been brought to this timeline out of Sasuke-kun's selfishness. I humored it enough not to report the incident but interfering any more, that was something I couldn't do." Neji's gentle tone got a little bit rougher. The order-loving self he had took the stand.

"Report to whom? And what about my memories? How do you know of their presence, Sasuke had wiped his existence from everyone's memories, why are you different?" Naruto questioned, emotions jittered from the exhaustion within.

Neji closed his eyes and when he opened them, they flashed a pure whitish color. Startling the blond to no end. Maintaining those horrific yet beautiful eyes, the brunet explained. "I'm uncertain if you know about this or not, but my family is what you can call energy-harvesters. In the old times, a lot of people were able to do that, to yield the energy of their souls, however, as it proved to be dangerous, man has sealed that knowledge away and only a few people know of it." He smiled eerily. "My family is one of those who do."

Naruto recalled when Sasuke spoke to him about the soul's energy and how there were few people on Earth still able to use it. Blue eyes filled with confusion even more, but slowly, he was able to understand everything. Naruto asked further.

"That still doesn't answer my question. Why do you know about the memories?"

"Sasuke-kun simply wasn't able to erase mine. I sensed that he wanted to do something like that so I protected my memories of him in a way he wouldn't notice." The burnet clarified. "For some reason, I didn't want to lose memories of him or of everyone remembering him. Besides, I hate when people try to manipulate my head."

"So… if you knew everything from the beginning, why didn't you tell me?" Naruto shouted halfheartedly, clutching his fist. Thinking about all those times when he was lying on his bed shrouded in mystery, if Neji had shared his knowledge then he could have saved Sasuke… he could have changed this outcome.

"As I said, I can't interfere." Neji sternly reminded him. "Naruto-kun, do you know why Sasuke-kun chose to erase his existence even though it hurt both of you?"

Blond locks moved sideways as Naruto shook his head. He had a tiny clue, but nothing was affirmed as the subject was redeemed to a bubble fiesta. "..."

The long-haired brunet took on an explaining posture and opened his mouth, with a tone that was both calming and soothing, he enlightened. "It's because the universe refuses him to have company. When I first met Sasuke-kun, I could feel there was something else inside of him, his core was perishing and withering away. But you gave him a line. Your soul was helping him recover, but that wasn't right. You see Sasuke-kun had reached the end of his lifespan when you two met. In the universe's absolute law, he should have died back then. Yet, you interfered, your existence was like a pure soul helping a wounded one so the universe couldn't do anything to harm you. However, that wasn't applied to your family and friends."

"You… you don't mean…" Naruto felt his heart clench in pain.

"Yes," Dark brown locks fell on Neji's face as he continued. "Your father was killed in an unfortunate accident; it was a signal for Sasuke to stay away from you. However, he didn't do that and Sakura-chan fell as the second victim. Sadly, I couldn't do anything as I watched the sorrow engulf all of you," Neji bit his lower lip, remembering his powerlessness. "Sasuke-kun has decided to stay away from you because it was the right thing to do. What he didn't know was that he's been taking energy off of you, so your bond became deeper than normal, and you have grown weak. Weak enough not to have the energy to withstand anything happening to you anymore."

Naruto heard the words as if they were foreign to his ears, but it all made sense. The way he was pushed away, Sasuke's sad but harsh words and looks. And how his life had taken an unfortunate twist so suddenly. However, the human in him refused to believe everything just like that. Yet through his inner suffering, a very interesting thing popped inside his head.

"Neji, humor me this," He spoke in all puzzlement. "how do you know all this? Sasuke brought me back to the past, a past before my father died and before Sakura's accident. No one should be familiar with those events as they haven't occurred yet. The past in which they have happened was changed by Sasuke… right?"

The brunet shook his head. "I thought you'd ask this sooner… well, as I said, we are energy-harvesters. What does that mean? We use our soul's energy so we are very sensitive to any change in energy. Sasuke-kun used the forbidden arts to change your fate, but that only changed in your life. Other people, especially us, we weren't affected. He wasn't powerful enough to change everyone's fate, if he was, he wouldn't have omitted to erasing memories." Neji explained as best as he could.

"So you mean to say that everyone else recalls the events of my father's death and Sakura's accident?"

"No, that didn't happen yet. Okay, how about you think of this like this, every single person has a line to live, from birth 'till death. We walk different lines. Of course, they intertwine at times, but everyone has his or her own line. Now, what Sasuke-kun did was take your line and bend it." Neji gestured with his hands. "Like bending a tree branch. So the events in your life were reversed according to time. The death and Sakura's accidents were erased, however to me, that didn't happen. I recall I lived time with you having lost your father and with Sakura being hospitalized, it's in my future, having been erased doesn't mean the emotions and the memories I have been."

"Doesn't that mean that Sakura-chan and my father should also have their lines bend?"

"Not necessarily. In the case of your father, what happened to his line was simple, the endpoint was stretched. In Sakura-chan's case, the accident is delayed in the future. She will get into a car accident, but it won't have a major effect on her life." He smiled showing his gentle soul. "Don't worry."

Naruto still had some areas that felt grey, but he felt like this was the best he could understand without entering too deep. It made him already queasy. Sasuke did a lot of things for him, to protect him. A tiny smile found its way to his lips. Really, how much did Sasuke love him to do all this?

"Neji," The blond started, having gotten another question up his sleeve, "I can't believe all this… let's say what had happened was because the universe was punishing Sasuke and I, but catastrophe happen. People die all the time. Why did Sasuke think this was something targeted only for us? It could have happened to anyone!"

The brunet nodded, accepting Naruto's words. "But it didn't. Besides, he lived long enough to know the difference between a natural disaster and a warning. I also agree with his presumption, Naruto-kun. Your affiliation together was something the universe didn't accept. I have no idea why Sasuke-kun is being punished, but whatever it is, his existence in your life was unforgivable."

"That's just horrible. Whatever sin he committed, Sasuke has paid more than enough! He should be given a second chance! Every person has the right to have that!" He was unconsciously shouting, veins popping in his forehead. Neji allowed him this.

Naruto didn't realize how confounded his nerves were, everything was just too much. He felt sorry for his Sasuke. Why must he suffer so much? Vividly, he remembered the lonely looks inside Sasuke's eyes. He'd catch him looking at space every once in a while and Naruto was always afraid he'd lose the other to something that he couldn't fight. Slamming his hands on the hard floor, the blond hated the world for judging this fate onto Sasuke.

"Naruto-kun, please, calm yourself down." Neji softly spoke after having enough of Naruto's outburst. "There are things in this life that no matter what we do, we can't change them. Sasuke-kun's fate is one of those things."

"I won't allow it!" Firmly, Naruto retorted. "I can't have him vanish into thin air on me like this! I need to bring him back, Neji, please help me!"

By now, Naruto was holding Neji by the shoulder. The brunet saw the despair inside Naruto's soul. He took a deep breath and returned his eyes to normal, before saying to the blond.

"I…cannot help you, Naruto-kun. I can use my energy in certain ways but even I can't revive the dead. Sasuke-kun is no longer alive. I'm so sorry."

The words felt like knives being pierced onto his heart. It was something that he didn't listen to. Frantically, Naruto begged.

"There must be something, think Neji, think! You're smart, maybe I can't undo the thing I did, maybe if I think hard enough I can give him back my energy –"

Neji didn't like being the one to put out Naruto's hopes, but this was something he as his friend needed to do. With a voice that understood what it meant like to lose someone you love, Neji spoke.

"If there was a way, I would have told you without a second thought, Naruto-kun. However, even if you think back on it, you can't give your energy to someone who isn't here. Sasuke has lost his physical body and his soul has scattered through. We don't even know where it went for us to call it back. Even if we were able, miraculously to do that, finding a body to attain the soul is impossible. Playing with the dead was never something good." Neji pleaded, eyes losing their cool. "Please, listen to me, don't allow despair to engulf you. Sasuke-kun gave his life because he didn't want to suck yours anymore. Don't waste his sacrifice –"

Naruto didn't even hear the rest of the Hyuuga's words, his ears were shut tight and his eyes saw nothing but anguish. He was about to move away from Neji's room and head to whatever place that could help him, yet before he could storm out and commit whatever heinous act he thought of to anger the universe, the door to the room softly slid open.

"Naruto-kun, I might have a way to help you."

And there stood non-other than Hyuuga Hinata, the angelic quiet girl with a smile on her face.

* * *

Hinata has never in her life went against the wishes of her cousin Neji. He was the wise one in the family and his decisions were just. All the elders agreed, even though she was the one who was going to succeed the family, she would have gladly given him that position. However, the male refused and told her he liked being in the shadows, securing her from all sides without being the focus of attention, he said in all confidence that she is the best fit for the spotlights. Yet here they were, he obviously was telling her that even though she's ranked higher than he was, her wishes won't be answered so easily. The girl knitted her brows and stood her ground.

They were currently sitting discussing Naruto's situation.

Her family had known something had changed in the current reality but weren't able to determine what exactly. The Hyuuga family was a family of shaman. Aside from being highly prestigious with wealth beyond belief, they held another position in society, currently not many believe they could do it, but once in time, maidens from her family were said to be able to speak with the gods. When she was little, her mother always told her stories of the past. She was fascinated and always liked to believe that there were many things naked eyes weren't able to see, and dismissing their existence was foolish.

Humans were foolish, they forgot the gods that have helped them for centuries. Yet she wouldn't do that. She was different, she will keep believing in their existence and in their mercy. She will face the disbelievers with a kind smile and a strong heart. Much like what she was doing right now.

Neji sighed and rubbed his head. She tried thinking of a simple way to explain everything in a way for Hinata to back down.

"We can't interfere, Hinata-chan." Sternly but softly he spoke, eyes faintly glowing. "You are driven by your emotions to help him, but that's not right. If by a phenomenal chance we were able to bring Sasuke-kun's body to life, his soul is no longer here. It has vanished. You and I both know that you can't and shouldn't interfere with the world of the dead. Breaking those rules would only bring us misfortune."

"But Sasuke-kun's soul hasn't moved on, yet! I'm sure he's still here." Hinata gently spoke her mind.

"No, he's not. Just because we remember him doesn't mean that he's here, besides, both you and Naruto are forgetting something very important." Neji paused. "Sasuke-kun's will. He was the one asking Naruto to cut ties with him. Why do you two want to interfere then, respect his wishes –"

"I can't do that." Naruto finally spoke, having been listening to their conversation from the sidelines, he was looking as shabby as ever.

"Naruto-kun…" Worry was all over her face as she looked his form up and down. The blond flashed a strained smile her way and assured.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan, I'm alright. Now," He directed his vision to Neji. "Sasuke's still here, I can feel him. I won't stop searching until I find a way to get him back."

Neji looked at him sympathetically. "I know how you feel, if something were to happen to Gaara, I would turn every corner to find a way that would bring him back. However, this doesn't justify you destroying our world to make it happen. If you mess with the dead, karma will come to haunt you. Your soul would be a petty price. Do you think Sasuke-kun wants that to happen? He has sacrificed his happiness and life to keep you safe and sound. Now, say you brought him back and sold your soul in the midst, do you think it'd please him?"

Naruto understood every word the other was spouting and he really agreed with it, but his feelings screamed that he shouldn't back down now.

"You're being selfish." The brunet spoke smoothly but with a positive tone. "You're still only thinking about yourself and your feelings. You want him back because life without him is hard. You haven't thought of what bringing him would entitle. Will he be happy? Does he want to be back? From what I understood, Sasuke-kun has been alive for a very long time, don't you think he needs peace now? Death is heaven's way of showing us that our misery and struggles come to an end somehow, so before you go on a rampage, think about him for once. Think about Sasuke-kun's happiness."

Hinata felt Neji's words to be too hard as Naruto's face darkened, but she couldn't stop her cousin from saying them. Neji was acting the role of the bad guy because that was the right thing to do. He said the words Naruto didn't want to hear to wake him up. It was a silly and dangerous idea to bring Sasuke-kun back, all of them knew it.

Naruto wanted to counter Neji's words but he couldn't. Through this week of agony, he didn't think of Sasuke's wishes once. He only thought to bring him back. It was because, until the very end, Sasuke kept on protecting him. Telling Naruto only bits and pieces and lying flatly over and over again. Naruto now understood why he did it. But his heart just hurt do much. He was like Neji said, thinking of himself… yet he still believed Sasuke's fate shouldn't end with death. From his broken memory, he was able to think that Sasuke was honestly happy to be with him, it felt unfair to have all this happen and Sasuke dies without him seeing that smile again. He just… couldn't have that type of end.

The blond opened his mouth to speak, but Hinata beat him to it.

"Neji-san, how about this then, Sasuke-kun was able to bring Naruto-kun from the future, can't we do the same?" She reasoned. "Can't we just send Naruto-kun to a time when Sasuke-kun was still alive? He can persuade Sasuke-kun not to end his life and all would be well."

Naruto's eyes widened at her words. He hadn't thought of it. Throughout the events, he'd forgotten that he was hauled back from a future he was living by Sasuke. A light seemed to shine inside of him at that and he looked with shining eyes at the now very troubled looking Neji.

"No… you two wait, that won't work," Neji burst their bubbles again. "Sasuke-kun played with time – a grave act – which cost him a lot, we can't do that. Breaking time and rules of the universe will only put us in more troubles than not. Besides, no one here can do it, you know that Hinata-chan."

Hinata nodded with her head hanging low, yet in a split second, her eyes lit up, with enthusiasm as the mean act, she beamed towards the two males. "There is! Tsunade-Oba-san! She can do it! And you know she's old enough to know all spells that we don't. Please, let's ask her!"

Hinata's delightful attitude would trick anyone who didn't know who the person she was talking about was. Neji cringed recalling their great, great, great grandmother who lived secluded deep in the mountains. He'd met her a couple of times, but it was only on necessities. The woman didn't like people much, she had reached a stage where seeing a person brought her nothing but headaches. Isolating herself from the world was her strongly believed the choice of freedom, unlike Sasuke who was forced to it. Neji really didn't want to do it, Tsunade-Oba-san was someone who had a vicious temper. However, when Naruto kneeled before him, bowing his head and all, the burnet couldn't say no, for after all, much like Hinata, he had a soft spot for the blond.

"Fine." He replied to their pleading eyes. "But Naruto-kun, don't hold too much hope in her. She's a hard person to appease."

Naruto nodded, finally finding the power to show an honest smile. "Thank you, Neji."

* * *

The minute his feet got inside the small cottage on top of the mountain, Naruto felt like puking. A sense of overwhelming gravity pushed all his muscles down. It took all his might not to fall flat on the ground. Hinata and Neji had their eyes on him. His own widened a little when he saw how those lilacs orbs glowed in the dark shed. Naruto had no idea what was going on, but he knew he needed to prove himself here. Falling down would only mean that Sasuke was gone forever.

The blond was told by Neji before they got close that once they were in the presence of Tsunade-Oba-san, they can't help him or interfere with anything that she does. He told him to be prepared because she doesn't like weak people. But the blond never imagined that he'd be hit with this malevolent force so early on. Hinata's eyes were silently giving him encouragement.

The two Hyuuga went inside the cottage easily, Naruto used all his energy to follow them. One step at a time, his body complained and sweat was soon to break out, yet he kept on walking. It felt like his back was carrying one thousand kilos of hard stones. His spine complained and the muscles in his body were overworked. He reached to a stage where the only thing sustaining him from falling flat on his face was sheer willpower. Magic, witchcraft, energy call it what you may, he was faced with an opponent he wasn't able to see. However, regardless of the disadvantages, he cleared it. Thirteen steps, his brain calculated with care, he took them with a strong heart.

"Well done." A strong gush of air-filled the vicinity along with the loud, resonating voice.

In a second, everything levitated. Naruto was able to breathe evenly again, the nails and heaviness he felt disappeared and the weight on his body lifted. Suddenly the so dark cottage wasn't that dark, light shimmered from the ceiling, bringing Naruto's attention to the center of it. A female sat on big black cushions, her sandy blond hair was tied into two pigtails, and cross-legged, she observed him with sturdy chocolate orbs. Her big breasts and young features made it hard for Naruto to see her as Neji and Hinata's great, great, great grandmother. The woman looked nothing short of forty. Her pure and spotless complexion was a shred of clear evidence to her young age. In the center of her forehead, a purple rhombus tattoo was engraved, it shone faintly as if asking to be acknowledged.

Naruto took a deep breath as he felt the fierceness of the situation he was in. It took a lot not to allow his body to fall right there and now from exhaustion. The woman seemed to momentarily ignore his existence as she directed her eyes to Neji, in an annoyed tone that told of her dissatisfaction, she questioned him.

"Hyuuga Neji, five years ago, I made myself clear to both you and your father," Neji cringed at this and his face darkened. He knew coming here won't be accepted easily. "Never to come here again."

A memory flashed inside Neji's head at her words, he was still thirteen or so and had accompanied his reluctant father to come and seek Tsunade's help. However, the woman fiercely refused and in a very unwelcoming way, threw them out of her mountain. Neji gulped down the fork in his throat, recalling his broken arms, sweat-dropping, he coughed.

"Excuse us, Oba-san, but if there wasn't something _'urgent'_ , we wouldn't have bothered you." Neji blurted out in all respect.

Naruto noted how Neji's head was held down in a pleading position, flickering a glance Hinata's way, the girl was in similar attire. Naruto believed that he should as well show respect, so he allowed his head to lower a little bit.

"Urgent?" She glanced at Naruto, her brown eyes boring a hole in his head, then back at her intruding grandson. "The only thing that I see urgent enough to disturb me is the end of the world."

Hinata answered her this time around, voice loud but respectful. "Oba-san, it as well could be that! Please just hear us out. We really need your help. I beg you!"

Bowing to her great grandmother was something Hinata was accustomed to. She knew that deep, deep, deep down, her great grandmother won't be able to refuse her; because putting aside her own position as the head of the family, her great grandmother was very fond of her. Unlike Neji, Hinata's thoughts of Tsunade were nothing but pure and joyful. Yet she still maintained a clear mind, her grandmother was sweet to her, but that didn't mean she won't harm her. There was always a thin line that no one in the Hyuuga knew where it lied, it was a line Tsunade drew between her and the outside world, keeping it at bay. Unfortunately, Hinata was also part of the world.

Tsunade's glaring orbs seemed to dim out for a second, Naruto noticed the half kind smile that showed on the blonde's face. Tsunade put a hand under her chin and urged her grandchildren.

"Alright, since you're bowing your heads so much, I will at least hear you out. Tell me, child, what is it you want?"

Neji knew he wasn't the one being addressed so he did everything in his power to make his presence scares. Of course, signaling Naruto to keep his mouth shut. Hinata's face glowed and she started.

"Oba-san, our request is something that you can do, as hard as it is… it's not impossible. Yet it will change life as we know it. Perhaps our reality won't change that much, but it will affect another's." She glanced at Naruto, Tsunade's eyes followed. "We want you to bring Naruto-kun to the past. precisely to a point before Sasuke-kun had died."

Tsunade had no idea who her granddaughter was referring to, but from what she could conjure up, the blond was the presumed 'Naruto-kun'. Then who was this 'Sasuke-kun' she spoke of?

"Elaborate."

Hinata was about to, but Naruto held up his hand. Neji was close to slapping him on the face. All his warnings fell on deaf ears, right now he just hoped that Naruto won't have them annihilated.

"Allow me that, please." Naruto looked her straight in the eyes, he didn't want to be disrespectful, but somehow, talking with his head down wasn't something he was used to, unlike the two Hyuuga.

Tsunade gave him a nod. "Allowed."

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto. I came from a future different from your reality. To me, this place lies in my past. At first I thought it lied in everyone's past, but Neji explained to me that every single person has their own timeline, other people' have nothing to do with them. So I'm the future Naruto of this past Naruto." Naruto took a breath, then continued. "I lost someone very important to me, he was always by my side, he gave up so much for me but I never noticed. I regret leaving him alone. I regret the choices I made in the past. I regret a lot of things. That's why I need your help. I want you to aid me in bringing him back, or even if that wasn't possible, I want to at least give him a life that he wants. A life he deserves."

Naruto fisted his hands, feeling his blood rush into them. Tsunade listened to him attentively, didn't interrupt until she knew he had finished playing his tune, then in all easiness, she answered.

"So… he's dead. The Observer is dead."

Naruto's eyes widened at her words and he questioned. "Y-You know Sasuke?"

Tsunade shook her head, swaying her pigtails in the process, dismissing his words. "Not by that name, but I did. Once in a time, our paths crossed. I have learned of his presence in this current reality, however, his departure was an event I haven't foreseen."

"It shouldn't have happened. He died because of me." Naruto's words were filled with guilt.

"That's something neither of us can be certain of. He could have died because simply it was his time to go. Your actions have put into motion something inevitable. Uzumaki Naruto, allow me to answer to your request." Naruto hung to her next words as his life depended on it. "I refuse."

His whole body shivered at her words, Neji sighed in the background whilst Hinata pleaded.

"Oba-chan!" She called the nickname for her grandmother, "Please!"

"Hinata, I promised to hear you out and I did. Now leave. You have no business with me anymore."

"Understood, great grandmother." Neji bowed his respect and headed to the door.

Hinata bitterly bit her lips, she knew her grandmother's words were final. If they were to press this anymore, she would attack. Neji's actions were the right thing to do. However, Hinata couldn't feel satisfied with all this. Clearly, not even Naruto.

"I am not leaving." Clear, azure orbs shone brightly, a passion burned from within. "I'm sorry but you're my last resort. I can't go back empty-handed. I will not leave."

Before Tsunade could make an action, Hinata held Naruto's hand, trying to coarse him. "Naruto-kun, let's go back. When grandma says no, she never changes her mind. Throughout our lives, we never heard that she did so. Please, if you stay, she might kill you, let's go back."

Naruto gently shook his hand from her grip. "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan, but I can't go back with you. Even if she kills me, I need to get him back."

"Naruto-kun…" She pleaded with a soft tone.

Neji couldn't take it anymore and walk-in, he took Hinata's hand and pulled. "Hinata-san, he made his choice and he won't budge from it. Let's go."

Feeling her heartbreak at not being able to help Naruto, the girl bit her lower lip and followed behind Neji. The long-haired burnet gave his friend a pat on the shoulder with a 'good luck' comment, before he disappeared with Hinata in the darkness of the night. Both of them wishing that their grandma has mercy on their fallen friend. For, after all, it's been a while since she killed a human.

* * *

Tsunade watched with keen eyes the young man's relentless soul flourish. Five days have passed since her grandchildren have gone, leaving behind this stubborn child. The first night, she refused him and shut him out. From what she saw, he was a normal human, held little to no knowledge of the supernatural but had strong, pure energy. In all her life, she could count the number of people with similar energy. It was a puzzle actually. His energy was sturdy and clean. Much like a child's. Pure energy was very hard to come by these days. Humans were filled with dark emotions polluting their energies. One of the reasons why she secluded herself deep in these mountains was to escape that pollution. However, she looked at the dark energy seeping from her fingertips, she was unable to do so.

Uzumaki Naruto kept bothering her. She kicked him multiple times, sent wild beasts on his tails and even changed the air to suffocate him, yet her door still kept on being knocked. When Neji and his father had come to ask her assistance, one day was enough for them to give up. No one could withstand her harsh methods. Nonetheless, this child in his second decade of life was proving her wrong.

Currently, she was looking down on his weak constitution sprayed on the hard ground. Five days she tortured him. Slapped and kicked, slashed his skin with knives and marked that tans skin with black bruises, she even went as far as breaking his arm. No food was given, only drops of water. Tsunade was old, old enough to know she couldn't kill him. It would be easy as breaking a twig, but she mustn't. The world needed pure energy, she won't be one of those taking it away. Looking at the moaning blond with lifeless orbs, Tsunade spoke wisely.

"The pain you're under won't help you atone for the sins you believe you committed. There's no meaning to it. Your endurance doesn't fascinate me. You won't impress me. Giving up is simply the rational way out."

Naruto wanted to speak but the pain was too severe, his vision was also blurry. Yet he knew he needed to make his point across, her words were spot on. In the beginning, he believed that whatever pain he felt was alright, Sasuke felt worse, he thought it was honorable to go through this for the other's sake, yet by the third day, his mindset changed. It was apparent to him that it was a selfish act on his behalf, he wanted physical abuse to wash away his inner turmoil. He wanted to be numb. The emotional pain was far worse than the physical one. By concentrating on the later, his brain would allow him time to rest. Naruto selfishly thought about himself yet again.

Coughing up some blood, he used all his willpower on a few words. "Sasuke… bring… Sasu…ke … back…"

Tsunade turned away from him and back to her cottage, throwing him one word as an answer. "Refused."

Naruto felt tears roll down his eyes before his vision went black, his body finally giving up on him. He didn't even feel when he was carefully carried and taken inside the dark cottage. A couple of hours later, his eyes flickered open. It took a while to adjust to the strong light inside, but slowly, Naruto did it. Sitting up, his body groaned. He noticed the bandages that were wrapped around him, touching his chest, he peeked inside a wrap and some kind of greenish herb was placed inside. He concluded that it was something to help him heal. His bruised lips twitched upwards in a smile.

"Don't overthink my generosity. I couldn't have you die on me. I'm not a murderer… well, not for the wrong reasons." Tsunade's voice resonated from his left side, bringing Naruto's attention to her.

The blond bowed slightly – as much as his injuries permitted – and showed his gratitude. "Thank you, for everything you did."

"You didn't hear anything I said."

"I heard," Naruto affirmed. "But regardless of your reasons, you did me a favor. That's something you should be thanked for."

The blonde woman closed her eyes for a second, a tug showed at the corners of her lips. "You're a funny child."

"I'm often told I'm stupid, so I think that's an upgrade." He flashed her his trademark grin, making his eyes appear as tiny fox slits. Tsunade marked to herself how the bright energy was gushing out of him uncontrollably.

"The Observer, why do you want to bring him back?" Her voice was sound. "Death is the end of everything, to call someone back from there, is it love? Affection? Regret or guilt? Or do you want to make yourself feel better, vanity?"

Naruto's smile dimmed down a bit, he thought of the right answer but found out that he didn't have it. "I don't know… a little bit of everything I guess. But I just can't accept it. My memories tell of a person I didn't meet. Isn't it unfair? Sasuke spent his life trying to make me happy and the only thing I gave him was unhappiness –"

"That is untrue," Tsunade interrupted his answer. "I do not believe The Observer was unhappy. He might have been lonely, but it's a path he chose willingly, thus happiness was something he found with his decision. Keeping you safe was his happiness. I have lived long enough to know the hearts of men. Your feelings of guilt as misplaced. In all truth, it'd be easier to just accept it and live the rest of your life normally. Make use of the chance he gave you. Dwelling on the past has tragic results."

"But I can't do it. Sasuke's my future. If he's not there, I can't do it." Naruto objected with all resolve.

"You have been living a great deal of time without knowing of his existence, if you prefer that, I can wipe all memories for you once more. The unhappiness you're feeling will also disappear."

The blond's eyes widened, horrified at her words, and afraid she would do that without his consent, he drew away from her. Tsunade smirked at his behavior, she waved her hand to him and commented.

"Rest assured, I won't do something like that without permission. Unlike The Observer, I believe one's memories are their own. No one has any right to interfere with them."

Naruto nodded at her and before he forgot, a question popped into his head. "Excuse me, there's something I wanted to ask for a while now, you keep referring to Sasuke as 'The Observer', does that mean you know what he is? Do you know his story and the reason he's not allowed to come close to anyone?"

It took a while for the woman to replay to him, and just when the blond thought she didn't hear him and was contemplating asking again, her voice filled the cottage with words of ice that sent him shivering.

"He mascaraed his entire clan."

* * *

 **Thank you for sticking with me, I promise the next chapter will be up faster than this one! Lol Reviews are welcomed!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes:**

 **Like I promised, this chapter came out fast, thanks to my beta, Naomi-stories-san! We give her a lot of roses for her efforts! Enjoy ~**

* * *

Tsunade told Naruto of a tale about a young prince who had it all. Family, fortune and luck. He was skilled in everything he did and everyone looked up to him. In his hometown, he was considered a prodigy. However, having everything, he felt empty. His personality was cold and detached. He didn't appreciate anything that he had. Since he didn't have to put any effort into anything, he never achieved any feelings of satisfaction. This young prince was an empty shell of a man and he was very aware of that.

Then one day, he came across an old man on the streets. This man was poor and apparently was asking for help. The prince looked with disdain at him and asked that he would be brought to his palace. He put the old man in a dungeon and kept on torturing him. The act itself was horrible to watch, there was no reason, no meaning, and no result. It was a cruel deed that he felt he could do. Yet that deed brought a sense of thrill to his cold being. The young prince had discovered a forbidden ecstasy. He continued down that ominous path, in the dead of the night, he'd roam the streets of his small kingdom and pick the ones he'd feel would cry the loudest.

He made no prejudice between men or women, young or old. His criteria for choosing rest only on one thing, how loud they'd scream. Somehow hearing them beg for him to spare them, for his mercy, for his forgiveness made his icy heart shake. The prince knew perfectly well that he was doing something he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop. He trod the dark path willingly. The arrogant prince had guards and could ask them to fetish victims for him, yet he liked to get them himself. He liked the hunt. His deviant antics had reached the ears of the elders in his clan and a messenger was sent to his place. The messenger had a simple message for him, ' _stop or face the consequences of continuing'_.

It was evident that the prince had grown conceited. He believed that no one could touch him. He was both versed in the arts of swordsmanship and persuasion. However, his arrogance was his downfall. The elders have asked for assassins help in getting rid of him, to them, he brought shame. He was the reincarnation of the devil itself, void of any human emotions, a killing machine that knew no mercy. The prince was targeted many times, but his abilities were able to save him every time. That's when he thought the situation needed to change. If he wanted to live life peacefully and continue with his deviant thrill of a game, he needed to get rid of the interference. In the beginning, his objective was only the elders, but he thought a day would come when someone else takes their torch, so getting rid of everyone was mandatory.

It was a diabolic plan, he felt no shred of attachment to any of them, he waltzed and killed indiscriminately. With every life he took, his sword cried for more. He was soaked in a bloodbath and he liked it. The prince felt alive, more alive than any other day in his life. He had truly turned into a demon. He killed his parents in their sleep, his older brother was more versed in the sword arts than he was, that's why he relied on trickery to get him. He made him lose his guard and stabbed him from behind. It was a cheap move but the prince didn't care. His black orbs have turned into blood-colored ones from his heinous acts, as if his own blood hated being inside his vessels.

It was a hellish night filled with screams and yells. When dawn came, no soul was alive. He was standing on a mountain of corpses and he felt happy. A devilish grin was plastered onto his face. Joy thrilled through his veins, he was honestly happy. However, with that happiness, a sudden feeling of realization washed over him. The prince never thought he'd ever experience happiness like this again. He felt another emotion, loss. So many different feelings twirled inside his blood-covered body. The young prince at that moment decided that life to him lost its purpose and swiftly, without a second thought slit his own throat.

It was a tragic end to a tragic story, of a man-made mad by emptiness and Naruto listened to the very end.

Tsunade finished by telling how the gods judged the soul of the prince. Some said that his actions deserved that he's put in the deepest part of hell and tortured for eternity, some defended that he was simply lost from the beginning, that if he was given a second chance, he'll be able to repent and help more people. To them, he was a soul that was given everything but nothing at the same time. A child without guidance, so ruling that he should perish in eternal hellfire was wrong. At the end of their long debate about the verdict, they came to a middle ground, his soul should wonder Earth and observe man. It should see and learn. Record everything and in the process, regain the humanity that it never had.

It was a cruel but just verdict. The soul was forbidden from human interactions, giving a life of solitude to atone for the ones taken. But at the same time, it was given a second chance to know what it did wrong. To experience human emotions and be able to help people from afar. Therefore, The Observer – Uchiha Sasuke – was born.

Naruto found himself silently crying after she finished her tale. Sasuke's past life and his fate were heavy on his heart. He couldn't imagine Sasuke killing anyone, the gentle soul that was always beside him never gave any malice. However, the Sasuke that he knew was different from the madman who killed his clan, he was human. Naruto fisted his hands as he forced his voice not to crack when he spoke.

"Sasuke… he _learned_ how to be human. The gods should leave him alone now. He atoned enough for those lives. He should be given a normal life, a third chance."

Tsunade closed her brown eyes and calmly replied. "That's something for the gods to decide. You and I have no say in this matter. Whether he'd become human, whether he'd atoned enough, and whether he should be given a third chance, those are outside our territory."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Naruto pleaded with her, "Can't you give me a chance to talk to the gods? I will plead in his defense. Please! Help me!"

Naruto kowtowed, by now, bowing felt natural. He was weak and he knew it, he could only rely on others if he needed to save Sasuke. He felt a faint hit on his head, slowly he raised his head and Tsunade's chocolate orbs shone brightly to him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, I will help you."

Those simple words from her sent shivers down his spine. He'd been refused for so many days now, to finally be able to attain a little bit of help, he felt the tears that have dried up come to flow again. Yet before he could jump from happiness, Tsunade made something clear.

"My powers can't interfere with the land of the dead, I can't bring anyone back after they perish, however, I can get his soul for you. Right now, The Observer's soul is scattered all over the place. He doesn't wish to be whole again, be it because he doesn't want to cause you pain or doesn't want to be in pain, regardless, his soul is shattered into tiny pieces," the old woman explained softly. "I can gather those fragments, but putting it back together, that's something only the gods can do. So,"

"So?" He urged waiting for her.

"You will have to bargain with them for a third chance."

Nodding his reply enthusiastically, the blond smiled to her. "I will! Please let me do it!"

Tsunade stood up and walked out of the cottage. "I'll go gather the ingredients we need; you can take this time to rest. That body still needs to heal."

She parted with him after that, Naruto allowed his breath out, his eyes continued to water, his emotions were unstable. He just couldn't believe that he was getting closer to meeting Sasuke again. Just thinking of seeing that emotionless face brought more tears to his eyes. His vision was blurred further. Wiping his eyes clear, he laid back on the wooden bed.

"Soon, Sasuke, wait for me, I'm coming to get you… soon we'll meet again."

He whispered to the quiet cottage.

* * *

Everything was prepared. Naruto was put in the center of the cottage, Tsunade had drawn a red circle with different marks around him, she gave him three leaves, she said it's used to please the gods, it won't be easy for him to get it done, but she encouraged that she will be there guiding him. She emphasized the importance of respect many times. Gods were beings of higher power and worship. A mere human daring to speak with them would normally be killed, however, his pure energy allowed him a way. Tsunade explained how the gods looked with favor to beings of pure energy, that's why he shouldn't be afraid and ask his wish with a strong voice, the hesitation wasn't welcomed.

Naruto looked at the three different tree leaves given to him. He had no idea how they would please the gods – he'd expected extravagant sacrifices as he'd seen on TV – but the blond woman stated that for gods, the energy of objects is more important than their appearance. The three different leave were taken from three different forests with different purity levels and hidden energy. They were like small treasures that were very hard to find in their current world. Tsunade was saving them for many years for a special occasion, the woman snickered to herself, who knew that she would end up using them for another person. Tsunade really didn't severe all her human ties like she thought she did.

They began the ritual, Naruto was ordered to close his eyes and relax. Tsunade started chanting unfamiliar words with a musical tone to them. The blond male wasn't able to see what was happening around him, but he could feel the air grow lighter. Unbeknown to him, the room was filled with flickering lights and bubbles of gold, shimmering right and left, like falling stars encircling them. A sweet smell filled his nostrils when Tsunade hit something on her right. Naruto was again, unfamiliar with the scent.

"Slowly open your eyes, Uzumaki Naruto." The blonde woman ordered gently.

Naruto's azure orbs were made clear and in an instant, they went wide. All around him the cottage glowed, the things that he saw were taken out of a fairy book. However, his astonishment was increased when huge floating masks swirled above him. There were six of them, some had big red lips, some had bulging black orbs, others had feathers sticking all over the place. Naruto presumed them to be the gods he should plead to. Glancing at Tsunade who was kneeling on the ground, the blond was assured that indeed, those were the gods.

They looked a little different from what he envisioned but not scary. Perhaps in a different setting, they'd be comically drawn. The masks hovered over them and he was at a loss of what to do. Tsunade's instructions didn't give an introduction about what he needed to say first. Should he offer the tree leaves or ask for his wish? However, he wasn't given a choice as one of the masks resonated with a loud, vibrating tone all around them, causing the trees outside to shake.

"Who dares summon us here?"

Tsunade hurriedly answered, head still bowed. "It's I, Great First, Tsunade of the Hyuuga clan. I humbly request an audience with your greatness."

Naruto felt like he should copy her and that he did, both of them were kneeling on the hard ground waiting for the masks to speak.

"An audience?" A different voice echoed this time. "Tsunade of the Hyuuga clan, you have never wanted an audience with us. What changed your heart?"

Tsunade spoke respectfully. "It's not for me, Great Three, it's for this child," She gestured to Naruto. "He's the one wanting your aid."

"Hmph! Insolent humans! You discard and forget about us all your lives, and only when you want something do you seek us out! Impudent!" An angry voice roared, the blond had no idea which of the masks was talking but apparently this one wasn't fond of being asked for anything.

"Forgive us, Great Fourth, we humbly apologize and plead guilty, do accept this to ease the burden of our sins." Tsunade gestured for Naruto to extend one of the leaves to them. The blond complied.

"An offering. How marvelous." A soft voice spoke this time, a gentle breeze came with it, totally different from the one before it.

Right now Naruto was able to conjure different facts, the gods they were speaking to were named by numbers, from the Great First to the Great Sixth. It was a weird way of addressing them, but he remembered when his grandmother was alive, she would tell him stories about their ancient gods. She said that no one knew their real names and only addressed them by numbers. Perhaps the tales he always believed were make-believe were actually the truth.

"Child, raise your head." The sweet, gentle voice called back again. Naruto felt like he was the one being addressed so he complied.

Above him hovered a mask that had a slit for eyes and a thin, wide line for a mouth. Three red marks were drawn on its forehead. Naruto looked with eyes filled with marvel at the god before him.

"Your heart is pure. I see no ill energy from you. What wish could you want to be granted?" The voice asked filled with confusion.

Naruto was about to answer when suddenly the attention of the masks fell upon him and they all came close to him. Apparently the words of the previous mask made them want to see for themselves.

"Wonderful!" One of the masks exclaimed.

"Astonishing!" another followed.

"Such pure energy!"

"I thought it went extinct!" A fourth commented.

"Humans these days are too polluted," The mask that was known as the Great First asked. "How could he have such clear energy?"

The topic of his white energy apparently was the most important event right now. Tsunade smiled from the side, she was right to rely on Naruto's energy to get the masks' attention fixed on him. Right now, chances of them helping and not killing him would increase. Naruto felt that it was his time to talk and present himself, feeling a little bit dejected and slightly afraid, he started.

"Um…. Great Ones," He addressed them as a group, unable to differentiate which was which. "I really wish you'd listen to me and answer my request. I want you to help me get someone back from the dead. He's someone very precious to me and I just don't think it's right that his life should end in that manner. I'm weak and can't do anything by myself that's why I request your assistance. Please, I beg of all of you, have mercy on his soul and allow him a third chance to be reborn!"

Naruto finished with a bow, he still didn't tell them who he wanted to give a third chance to, but from what he learned about transactions – that time he was working in the trade company he was fired from – when someone needed something achieved, they should show their cards one by one, test the waters before jumping the gun.

"Revive a soul?" The voice that shouted angrily at Tsunade earlier spoke first. "Child, you know nothing of the Wheel of Fate, do you not? We do not interfere with life and death path. Souls go through life, then death then reincarnation. The soul you wish to save will automatically be reincarnated at a later point in life, our assistance isn't needed."

"That is true, child," The mask that had feathers sticking on its head added. "However, if the soul you wish to save had committed a sin that removed it from reincarnation, then there's nothing we can do."

Naruto opened his mouth and replied. "…I don't believe this soul would be reincarnated, because it had committed a grave sin, but you all gave it a second chance at life. Your just decision allowed me a chance to meet it for that I thank you all, however right now, I humbly request a third chance –"

"Silence!" Naruto was harshly interrupted. "You're pleading for _The Observer_ , are you not?"

The cottage shook with that question and Naruto saw the cool, golden atmosphere around him shift to deep crimson red, the heat was soon encircling them. Apparently Sasuke's case was a sensitive topic to the gods. But regardless of what the consequences would be, Naruto was ready to face heaven and hell, gods included, to bring Sasuke back.

"Yes." He answered in a steady voice. "Please, give Sasuke another chance, allow him to live with me and leave him be."

Naruto both asked a favor and gave an order, something no one dared to do before. Tsunade had a second where she was afraid he'd lose his life being like this. However, her worries were not needed as the god with the gentle voice told Naruto.

"The Observer was given a second chance, we weren't the ones who ended it, he chose that end himself. It was a decision we had no hand in."

"No, that is not true," Naruto shook his head. "I do not dare call you liars, but that statement is false. Sasuke made that decision because being together brought disaster to me and my loved ones. He sacrificed himself and his life for mine. He did an act of selflessness because of me. Forgive me when I say that I do not believe that he wasn't cornered into it."

Another god came forth, he had never spoken, it was one of the silent ones. He came close to Naruto's face and a voice echoed.

"Child of man, calling us liars is disrespectful. We do not lie nor do we need to. The conditions for The Observer's second chance was for him to learn about humanity but walk the path of solitude. Nonetheless, he discarded that and associated himself with you. He was the one who violated the conditions. The punishment was in need."

Naruto didn't want to raise his voice, but the words were very provocative. However, he remembered that if his nerves flared, chances of bringing Sasuke back were zero, he needed to plead with them, not argue over their decisions.

"I understand that. Please forgive my previous words, I was lost in my emotions." He picked the second leave and presented it. "I plead that you take this and forgive me."

Naruto made no further movement until the masks accepted his second offering and the air in the room returned to normal. When the golden flickering lights were back on, he continued his reasoning.

"You said that you gave Sasuke another chance to learn, but he wasn't allowed to stay close to anyone, right? How could he learn to be human then? Observing alone did nothing. He needs interaction, he needs to feel the warmth and closeness of other people. Simply watching would do nothing to help him." Naruto thought back to those times when he'd catch Sasuke staring at the void, probably watching something. Sasuke was a little detached and cold at times, but now he understood fully why. It was because he never really understood how to be close to anyone. He lacked ties and observing for decades did nothing for him to gain that knowledge.

"Child, do you mean our judgment was wrong?" The mask with thin lips spoke.

"No. your judgment was just. However, I object to the no-human-interactions rule." Naruto heaved a sigh and tried to close the chapter on this book. "That's all in the past, what I'm requesting right now is a third chance, this time, give him to me, I will make him human."

A mask that had big eyes drawn with what appeared to be blue glowing paint, spoke to him. "Make him human? Your words insinuate that he has not learned anything from his second chance. If so, giving the third one is futile."

"I disagree," The mask with the gentle voice and thin lips objected. "The Observer gave up his life willingly, that is progress. His old self would never have done something similar. In my eyes, The Observer grew to learn the human worth and the value of life. Wasn't that what we wanted him to learn?"

Naruto smiled, he started to believe that that mask was on his side, one down, five to go.

"Fifth, you were always kind to humans, your perspective is crooked." A mask that was all black spoke.

"Akin to Fourth, it detests man, henceforth its prospective is crooked." The mask known as Fifth retorted the black one's comment.

The air in the room was growing tense, Naruto could feel it vibrate. Suddenly a loud voice spoke, Naruto identified it to be that of the First.

"Fifth and Sixth, halt your words. We don't fight amongst ourselves in human matters. This wish will be subjected to a vote, as we have always settled matters. The majority rules."

"Great First," Naruto called, catching its attention. "Before that vote is to pass, I want a chance to explain Sasuke's growth. Your decisions should be kept impartial. Please don't judge us based on humanity's mistakes, judge on what Sasuke had gained from his second chance. Can you please do that?"

His azure orbs pleaded silently, and pure energy gushed out. Naruto himself was startled at the bright light emitting from his body. It was the first time in his life he'd glowed like this. The masks seemed to be drawn to the light as well and the tense atmosphere died down. Naruto understood that this was the pure energy everyone was associating with him, in fact, he didn't care what color his energy was, but if it could help bring his love back, he'd use every ounce of it.

"Accepted." The masks answered in union.

Tsunade sat in the corner of the cottage, watching everything unfolds and not interrupting Naruto's process. She was right to bring him to them. One of the reasons she agreed to help was because he reminded her of her old self, she had one time fallen in love with a man, he betrayed her heart and she was forced to kill him – she never healed from that scar. However, meeting Naruto and seeing how badly he wanted to save his other half made her believe that maybe if she'd tried a little bit hard, she could have rescued her own. Her old wound told her to help him and that's what she did. Hoping for a happy ending to this tragic story.

"Speak, Child of Man."

The Great First addressed Naruto, the blond nodded and began his story. He told them of Sasuke's storyline from the moment they met until he perished in fits of bubbles. Not leaving any crucial detail out. He highlighted how Sasuke's self-grew and how he put Naruto first since they were children until they grew up. The blond included the disasters and how torn apart Sasuke was about it, how bad he tried to leave Naruto be, but how human he was at not being able to let him go totally. Which ended in bringing him back from the future, in an attempt to trick fate and allow them to be together. But Naruto's selfishness and short-sightedness forbade them from becoming one. Naruto bit his lips as he finished with the tragic end of Sasuke, choosing to vanish in thin air instead of robbing Naruto's life force.

By the end, as always, his eyes were wet. Naruto didn't even hide his disdain about it. His heart squeezed at it all. Every time he would explain Sasuke's virtue to anyone, his memories would strengthen and he'd remember new ones. Different expressions that he'd witnessed from Sasuke. He wasn't a cold, merciless murderer. No, his Sasuke was a sweet, gentle human who loved him from every cell in his being. Naruto understood that perfectly clear. He regretted how he never told the raven-haired male his true emotions.

The masks remained silent for a long time after Naruto went silent, probably thinking of the right verdict to give. Tsunade came and stood beside the blond, she gave him an encouraging pat on the back. To her, he did well. No one would have presented his case better than he did. Whatever comes next, the blond should be proud of himself, he faced the gods and held his head high. Not a second later, the Mask with blue came forth.

"We heard your tale, Child of Man, and we have decided to give a third chance. The majority ruled in your favor."

Naruto has never felt happier in his whole life, elated, he knelt down. "Thank you! Oh, thank you!"

"We have agreed to a third chance, however, conditions still ensue." The mask continued before Naruto could throw a joyous party.

"I agree! Every condition, I have no problem!" Naruto exclaimed before he heard them.

"Don't fall for haste, Child," The gentle mask warned. "You better hear our conditions."

Naruto felt his heart fall a little, but he nodded, waiting patiently for their conditions. His mind was made tough, regardless of what they ask of him, the price he needed to pay, he'd agree. Getting Sasuke back was worth everything to him, and that's how Naruto was again at the mercy of the gods.

* * *

"What do we need to do now?"

Tsunade looked with a grim expression at him, she discarded his question and asked one of her own. "Are you really okay with their conditions? You know the disability it will put on you, don't you?"

The blond gave her a trademark grin. "What's an arm and an eye worth in comparison to getting Sasuke back?"

"It's a steep price to pay."

"You know, to bring me from the future, Sasuke paid his left arm and eye as a price, he didn't think I'm unworthy of it and I'm the same. It doesn't matter what they ask, if it's in my willpower to give, I will gladly waver it for Sasuke." He softly commented. "Actually, I thought they would ask for my life hahaha."

Tsunade wanted to explain that usually, that would have been the case, yet since his energy is rare, the gods couldn't rid the world of it or the balance would shift. Yin and yang needed to be at total equilibrium and Naruto's energy played a role – though tiny – in maintaining that equilibrium. Besides, the third leave they presented helped in decreasing the price he had to pay – it was a foot, an arm, and an eye at the beginning.

"Right now, you need to do nothing. I have to gather the fragments of his soul and present it to the gods. They will bring him back, but –" Tsunade answered his previous question.

"But he won't be the same as before." Naruto completed, reciting the second condition.

The gods told of three conditions, first the price needed to be paid. A soul has never been given more than two chances at birth, so for Sasuke to live a third time in the same timeline as Naruto and not fall out of the cycle of reincarnation as he was supposed to, a price was a must. The second condition was that the _'Sasuke'_ that would be brought won't be the same _'Sasuke'_ that had perished. He will miss components from his being – the blond wasn't explained what would really be lost, but he was given a vague idea, personality changes, and memory loss. Third, his soul would be bound to Naruto's, meaning he will return to giving him energy just like before. However, this time, the speed at which Sasuke consumes Naruto's energy is lesser, that's is because the Sasuke that would be brought back has a soul of his own, and even though that soul has little energy, it still maintains form.

Sasuke chose to shatter his soul precisely for him not to be brought back, so to bring him back against his will, glue him whole again, another source to support the broken soul was needed, Naruto would be that source. The blond liked to think of it as his energy sustaining the sick Sasuke until he fully heals. He did believe Sasuke will become a whole one day and won't need his energy to survive.

Three conditions, none of them spoke about Sasuke keeping his distance from people. Naruto was actually quite pleased with that. He didn't know what he would do if they said they'd bring him back, but he needs to keep his distance. That would make everything futile. A Sasuke that he couldn't see, touch or speak to wasn't a Sasuke that existed. His Sasuke should always be beside him, they have to live life together, the two of them weren't whole without each other.

Smiling as if he owned the world, the blond nodded to the worried Tsunade. He couldn't understand why Neji was so afraid of his grandmother, she was a sweet old lady. Of course, she gave him hell in the beginning, but all this while, she kept being his rock. Helped him silently and encouraged his every move. Naruto was happy to have found her.

"You better stay back."

Tsunade warned as she stood up. Back straight and arms extended before her face, she started chanting, this time, the air around her moved vigorously, causing her pigtails to sway violently. The verminous mark on her forehead shone brightly and clapping her hands every two seconds, a melody was played. Naruto started to think that this was the old woman's way of doing her magic, music was always the easiest way to rely on messages in his head.

Her tan hands started making signs that he has not seen before. Smiling at the beautiful way she appeared in, Naruto watched in awe as space he knew changed, drops of water seemed to collect and condense all around Tsunade. She made a jump and rotated around herself three times, the drops came together, slowly forming a big ball of water. Inside the ball, small pieces were shimmering. Dark blue, buried within the water ball. It was most likely Sasuke's fragmented soul.

Tsunade continued her hums and dance for about two hours, finally, the water ball exploded leaving the shards of blue hanging in the air. Tsunade brought out a glass container and directed the sparkling pieces inside. Like dust they softly fell within, closing the glass jar, the woman fell to her knees. Just then did her breathing start coming in gaps and sweat showed on her forehead. Apparently, everything was very exhausting. During the ritual, she showed no signs of tiredness. However, now that it all calmed down, her enervation showed.

"Tsunade-Oba-san, are you alright?" Naruto was by her side in seconds.

The woman nodded to him. "I'm fine, it's been a while since I used that much energy, my body isn't used to it."

Naruto nodded as he sustained her back on her feet. Bowing his head to her, he spoke sincerely. "Thank you very much for doing this for me and Sasuke. I will never forget it."

She nodded to him and gave out the jar. "Take it and keep it close. Tomorrow we call the gods and start the process of mending him back."

Naruto carefully held the glass jar, almost afraid that it would break and fall from his hands. Looking inside, his heart skipped a beat, he was holding Sasuke's soul. Holding the core of his love. Gulping down the nervousness, the blond commented.

"Should I really be the one to keep it? Won't it be safer with you?"

Tsunade frowned at his words. "What are you saying? You came all this way for him, what are you afraid of? You will be responsible for his soul and body, right? That's the promise you made with the gods, why are you getting scared of now?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, trying to explain himself. "I'm not afraid, I'm just… what if I dropped it? You went through so much trouble to collect it…"

"Feel no worry," Tsunade brought a rock and hit the glass with it, Naruto's eyes went wide with fright, but the container wasn't affected. "This glass isn't normal glass; it's spiritual glass. It's used to trap souls and dark beings. Normal stones don't break it, even if you threw it on the ground or to a wall, it will still be safe. Only special spiritual tools can break and open it."

The blond nodded his understanding, his heart feeling a little bit soothed after her words. Even though Tsunade's explanation made sense, he still cleaned the place where the rock hit the jar, afraid it would be damaged. Tsunade simply rolled her eyes. Clutching the jar close, Naruto retreated to the small bed that had been given to him with a tiny smile on his lips.

* * *

This time, Naruto was forced to sleep. Tsunade requested that he does so, seeing his arm and eye being chopped off wouldn't be something he'd be able to tolerate. So the gods had mercy on his soul and agreed to her humble request for him to be unconscious. The process of bringing Sasuke back took a whole week. When Naruto woke up again, he was dizzy and couldn't stand up. His vision was reduced to only one eye, his left one; his right arm was nowhere to be found. A part of him automatically was scared of the severed limb, but he quickly discarded that emotion.

His brain was filled with Sasuke, he wanted to hurry and ask his whereabouts, but his body was too weak to tolerate any movements. He vomited five times and passed out during the sixth one. When he opened his eyes the second time around, Tsunade was beside him, she explained that his soul was still coping with the shared energy, that's why he was so weak, she explained that it would be a while until everything is settled. He lost consciousness a third time. This continued for another week, until night came where he opened his eyes and felt steady.

Naruto slowly put his legs on the ground and supported his buzzing head with his sole hand. He was still a little bit uneasy about losing his eye and arm, but he figured that the sooner he got used to it, the better. He presumed that the process of getting Sasuke back was probably a success since his body parts were missing; meaning the price has been paid. Naruto staggered to walk and found a trey with a glass of water and some covered food by his side. Looking right and left, there was no trace of Tsunade. The blond picked up the glass of water and helped himself to the meal.

Surprisingly, his stomach tolerated everything. He walked outside wanting to get so fresh night's air, but in an instant, his eye grew wide and his whole body shook. There, in the middle of yard, stood none other than the love of his life. The moonlight illuminated his silhouette showing Naruto the changes that befell the other. First, his form changed to that of a child, probably a ten or so year old. His hair was the same color, as dark as the night they were experiencing right now. Big, black orbs stared at him filled with unknown emotions. Two hands, two feet, a head. Nothing was missing.

The kid was holding twigs of wood, probably for the fireplace inside. Naruto staggered a run that was too soon for his weak muscles. He came face first crashing on the ground. Tears rolled down his eyes. He tried to get up, but the shock of seeing Sasuke again was too much for him, he couldn't muster any strength to move. Using his only hand, he crawled towards the other. Naruto knew how pathetic and uncool he looked, but he just didn't care. All he wanted was to get close to Sasuke and affirm with his one hand that he was alive and breathing.

The young child seemed to sense the desperation the other had in him, he walked with sure steps towards the blond. Putting the wood aside, he extended a hand and tried to help Naruto up. The minute the blond was on his knees, he embraced Sasuke in a bone-crushing hug. He caught him and refused to let go. Crying his eyes out and wailing loudly in the dead of the night. The child simply patted Naruto's head and allowed himself to be embraced.

They stayed like that until Naruto was ready to let go, however, he let go simply to get a good look at the other. Sasuke used this opportunity to wipe Naruto's tears away, his small hands continued patting the crying male when he couldn't control his tears.

"Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke, it's you!" Naruto kept of crying, "Oh God, you're finally here with me! I'm so sorry, Sasuke, sorry for leaving you alone, sorry for forgetting you, sorry for not being there when you needed me! Oh, Sasuke… you have no idea how much I regret what I did! I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you! Sasuke, please, don't leave me alone again!"

Sasuke was taken into another bear hug, this time, instead of patting Naruto, he wrapped his tiny arms around him. "Naruto, you are one big idiot, you know that. Why did you bring me back?"

"I can't live without you!" The blond exclaimed with all honesty. "I shouldn't exist without you!"

"You should have moved on and forgotten about me… I –"

"No! Sasuke, that's not happening! I will never forget about you again!" Naruto wailed his heart out.

With those words, Naruto's hold on the tiny body got stronger. It was hard to hug with just one arm, but Naruto didn't care, even if he had only legs, he'd find a way to hold Sasuke tightly close to him.

"Ahem, ahem, I hate to interrupt your long-awaited reunion, but we have some important things to tend to." Tsunade's voice came from behind the two. Naruto felt a faint blush decorate his face, while Sasuke nonchalantly moved to a standing position. He extended his hand for Naruto to take, the blond looked at the tiny fingers, almost afraid he'd crush them if he held too tight.

"Don't worry, I'm strong." Sasuke assured, as if sensing the other's thoughts.

Naruto nodded, he helped himself up, but unconsciously put more weight on his legs and hips while getting up, not wishing to hurt Sasuke. Tsunade watched the play of delicacy, she rolled her eyes and instructed.

"The Observer – wait, I can't call you that anymore, hmmm… then Uchiha child, bring me the wood."

With those words, she walked ahead of them into the cottage. The two followed shortly after, Naruto refused to leave Sasuke's side and continued gluing himself to the other like a shadow, the raven-haired male showed no objection. Once inside the cottage, Tsunade lit a couple of candles and told Naruto to sit in the middle – reluctantly, he did so. She asked him to extended the severe arm, having now reduced to a blind stump, he obliged, unaware of what she wished to do.

"You lost your arm and eye, that can never be undone, however," She raised her right hand and drew some signals in the air, a bright light in the form of a small doe flashed. The doe was the size of a plushy, it hopped in the air and rested on the stump that was his arm, then on the wood Sasuke brought. "We can at least make a disguise of it."

The blond wanted to ask what she meant, but Tsunade's eyes told him to simply watch. The doe melted into the wood and it glowed. Not a minute later, it transformed into an image of his severed arm. Naruto looked with wide eyes at his arm look-alike. His eyes followed the said arm as it floated from the ground and attached perfectly to the stump. As if he hadn't lost anything, it fit perfectly in place.

"Move it." The old woman instructed.

The blond did as such, it felt light as if he was carrying small twigs of wood, but the image of an arm moving was there. The sensations his brain registered didn't fit with what his eyes perceived, he was confused.

"It's an illusion," Sasuke's young child-like tone came from his left side, "it's the same as the one I used. Your arm isn't really there, but everyone else alongside yourself believes it is. It doesn't replace the real thing, but it's useful."

His tone changed at the end, hinting how dissatisfied with all of this he was. Naruto understood what he meant. He couldn't feel anything down the stump. The fake arm, hand and fingers moved but there was no sensation on his end. Did this also happen to Sasuke? Using fake body parts as his own, the weirdness of the foreign objects made a shiver run down his spine and it made it all too real. The loss of his eye and arm were made a painful reality for him to bear.

"Correct. You will go back to your own life, your family and friends would ask a lot of questions if you showed up in this condition, that's why this disguise is convenient." Tsunade explained. "But you need to understand something, this arm will move and work as your real one. You can touch things and do tasks, but the effect doesn't last long. You just saw how I used small twigs of wood to make it, right? The wood expires after a while, that's why this is a temporary solution. You need to come every six months here for me to mend it, or," She looked at Sasuke.

"There's no need, I will mend it for him." The raven-haired male spoke, his eyes flared when he looked at Tsunade. "You have done more than enough."

The old woman smirked. Naruto brought back someone who didn't want to be brought back and since she helped him, animosity was directed at her full strength. Tsunade didn't mind, she expected the soul not to like her. After all, her energy was drained trying to catch all those fragments. Closing her eyes, she nodded her affirmation.

"Then, do so." She raised her other hand and a sparkling bluish marble fell from between her fingers, "Now let's continue with your eye, this will also be used as a replacement."

Tsunade made a different hand sign this time, a beautiful purple butterfly flew and resided on Naruto's left azure orb. The blond didn't feel any irritation from the butterfly nor did he want to close his eyes. The butterfly then flew to the glass marble and it turned into a replica of Naruto's eye. The fake blue orb flew and came to reside inside Naruto's empty sclera. The blond blinked and the odd feeling of a foreign body slightly made him flinch. With a couple of different blinks, he got used to the odd sensation.

The woman brought a mirror and put it before his face, Naruto took it and saw his reflection. Indeed, two set of identical orbs looked back at him, but sadly he had vision in just one. Suddenly something popped into his head, and with a hasty tone, he asked.

"Sasuke, how about you? Do you see? Are your hands working fine?"

The raven-haired child blinked then a warm smile showed on his features, he nodded. "Yes. This body is a new one. In a way I'm reborn. The effects of my previous existence are no more. I have gained everything that I have lost."

Naruto felt a burden ease on his chest at those words. He showed a bright grin to the other. "That's wonderful!"

"…Yeah."

"Uzumaki Naruto," Tsunade started, her voice all serious. "There're some things you need to know from now on, important things you need to be aware of so listen carefully."

Naruto nodded and waited for her to speak. "I'm all ears."

"First, you and Uchiha Sasuke both have the same energy; he's too weak to fend for himself, that's why his body was brought in this form. Had he been given an adult body, the energy requirements would increase and be hard for you to maintain. Also, getting him a younger body than this one poses the same problem, he'll need a lot of energy to grow. That's why the gods settled on this body in between. Right now he's taking about sixty percent of your energy. With time, he'll build his own and the energy taken from you will decrease. How long would that take, no one knows."

The blond looked at the emotionless Sasuke and continued listening.

Tsunade raised another finger. "Second, you will have to be with him, close to each other, if you were away for more than twenty-four hours in a distance of more than ten kilometers, Uchiha Sasuke will suffer a danger of your energy cutting from him. Previously, he could stay away from you because he had some of his energy remaining and was strong enough to live on it. However, as I previously stated, that is not the case anymore. So be careful of separation. It could result in death."

Naruto gulped the sensation of dread that washed over him and made a note in head not to fight with Sasuke a lot in the future.

"Third," she raised a third finger. "You have to keep all of this a secret from everyone, even my grandchildren – though that would be a bit hard, Neji's very bright," She spoke tone filled with pride, Naruto made a note to tell Neji how his grandmother thought of him later on. "You will have to come with a way to keep Uchiha Sasuke close to you without anyone suspecting anything. He needs to fit in the timeline you're living in right now, which brings me to the fourth and last point I need to clarify," Tsunade raised a fourth finger. "You can no longer return to the future you know. The minute you were brought into this timeline, the future that you have had was erased. This is your present and you have many possibilities, infinite futures to go to from here. Do you understand me? You're no longer from the future, you're simply from this reality. The identity you have right now is your real identity. Hence, you need to think of means to fit Uchiha Sasuke in it."

Naruto took a minute to digest everything in. The rules were all very simple and hard to comply with, but there was no going back from here. He nodded his agreement and understanding for everything and with that Tsunade stood up.

"Very well, I'll take my leave. Both of you can use this cottage to rest. I will come by tomorrow and you should be gone by then."

Her words were as clear as the night sky, Naruto knelt his gratitude and bowed with a humble head to her. She had gone out of her way and beyond for them. So far Naruto didn't understand why she did what she did, but he really had immense gratitude towards her. Once they were alone, he stood up and walked to the bed where Sasuke was on. The blond felt a cold hand touch his shoulder, he turned with a smile to face Sasuke. In a second, he brought the child into his arms and relaxed into a comforting hug.

Sasuke never objected, he put his own arms around Naruto and closed his eyes. It has been a long time since they were in each other's arms and none wanted to let go.

* * *

Naruto stood before his house and took a deep breath. He had mixed feelings about everything, he's been away for close to four weeks now. His father must have been worried sick, besides he'd discarded his phone through the whole ordeal. When he found it, it died down with many missed calls and worried texts. Naruto was relieved when a text came from Neji telling him that he called his father and reassured that he was okay. The excuse Neji gave was that Naruto went on a trip with him to the neighboring city. Of course, Minato was upset that he wasn't told about it, not to forget Naruto's health condition being very bad. Neji had explained that that was the reason for the trip, to cheer up the blond.

Anyways, through a lot of lies, Minato resigned to the excuse, however, not hearing anything from Naruto made him more worried. The blond remembered his father's tone when he called him. He was very anxious and happy at the same time. A part of him hated how he was lying to his gentle father, but he knew his father should be kept in the dark, there were things in this world that one shouldn't learn about. Taking another breath, Naruto put his key inside the hole and clicked the front door open.

It was still early in the morning, around nine or ten AM, Naruto presumed his father to be at work. He walked inside, the sound of tiny footsteps toeing his made a smile show on his face. The blond glanced at Sasuke behind him, who was looking the place right and left, making peace with his new territory.

"Sasuke, are you hungry?" He asked as he made his way to the kitchen. "Dad always makes breakfast, so there should be something in the fridge."

Naruto opened said fridge and indeed, there was food. He got different things out, and within a couple of minutes whipped a trey of a well-balanced meal –as balanced as he knew. The raven-haired kid looked at the food and his mouth turned into a smirk.

"Your cooking skills do need some improvements."

Naruto rolled his eyes and playfully retorted. "Shut up, be grateful I even made something for you."

They both sat down and started eating, after washing up from the long journey, of course. Thirty minutes later, the blond directed Sasuke to his own room. At the beginning, he warned him about the awful state his room was in, explaining how his mental condition went for the worse when he'd lost him – a topic that was too sensitive for him to go in details about currently – so Sasuke shouldn't judge. But to both of their surprise, the room was perfectly clean.

A puzzled look passed Naruto's face, but Sasuke swiftly enlightened him. "I sense your father's presence. He must have cleaned it for you."

"…Yeah." Naruto smiled warmly. "I need to thank him later."

Sasuke took a seat on Naruto's desk chair whilst the blond sat on his bed. They stared at each other for a while until Naruto addressed the elephant in the room.

"So…" He started. "What do we do now? How do I explain you to my dad and everyone?"

Sasuke put a hand under his chin and crossed his legs, the behavior coming from his tiny body made Naruto squeal from the inside, he looked so cute like that. Dismissing the urge to go and break those tiny bones in a bone-crushing hug yet again, the blond waited patiently for Sasuke's suggestion.

"What if I moved next door? I can buy the house next to yours and it'd be easy and convenient for us to meet each other. Your father won't suspect anything. As for everyone else, I didn't associate with anyone for them to seek my existence. I can simply transfer out of school and stop working in the teaching center. However, I think our biggest issue is your friend, Haruno Sakura. She has a strange power to know things. I'm not one hundred percent certain about my upcoming deduction; but… I think my previous existence was erased from people's memories. Remember how I erased my memories from everyone's heads?"

The blond scowled at that, but nodded.

"I think the ancient gods won't want anyone to start questioning why I have reappeared as a child now. So probably they altered the memories or simply erased my existence from their timelines. When I was The Observer, I had the ability to change my looks and fit in society, the gods gave me that power to blend. That's why I'm basing this possibility on it."

"Then why didn't Tsunade-Oba-san tell us about it?"

"She did," He corrected. "Indirectly, she said no one should know about me; that means the gods did their part to hide my identity, so we have to make sure no one catches any hints or remembers things they shouldn't. Like I said, I wasn't close to anyone, so I didn't influence anyone, but your friend, she will know… if I associate with her, her gut will start sending messages that she has met me somewhere."

Naruto knotted his brows and countered. "We can easily attribute that to déjà vu, we meet a lot of people and feel as if we've seen them somewhere."

"That would have worked on someone else, but she's relentless. She won't rest until she gets to the bottom of all of it." The raven-haired male found a fox plushy with nine-tails on Naruto's desk and started playing with it. "I remember she was very observant and stubborn. I couldn't harm her because she was your best friend, but sometimes she was annoying to handle. I'm afraid that will repeat."

"Harm her?" Naruto blinked. "You wanted to harm people?"

Sasuke emotionlessly flipped the fox in the air and answered. "Yes. I wanted to harm anyone who got close to you. That was one of the reasons why when your father died and Haruno Sakura got into an accident, I decided to leave. I was suspecting that I was the reason; the rules inflicted on me were what triggered everything, but my desire to monopolize you is what gave shape to their torture. In truth, disaster should have fallen on you, you should have died. But I really didn't want that to happen, so it shifted to killing anyone who got close to you…"

The black-haired male finished, Naruto felt his face turn upwards into a smile. What Sasuke was saying was messed up as hell, but he really just couldn't hide his happiness. The words he heard just told of how much he was loved and cherished. Holding a hand up, his blushing face stuttered out some words.

"Sasuke… please, give me heads-up before you say things like these, I can't take it."

The child seemed to catch on the effect his words made, he smirked, putting the plushy back on the desk and making his way to Naruto's side.

"This is nothing, Naruto, if you knew the things I wanted to do to you. Every time I saw you talking with someone else, I wanted to chain you and lock you up," he recalled the time he did just that. "ah, I guess I did."

"So you really locked me up because you wanted no one to be close to me?" Naruto asked, a little bit scared of Sasuke's possessive antics.

"Yes, amongst other things. I wanted to test the extent of fate, how many chances I would be given before something bad happens… no, that's not it, I wanted to protect you. To have you in my sight at all times, that even if something were to go wrong, I'd be able to handle it."

Naruto recalled the days he spent in the mansion with Sasuke. He was chained and his freedom was robbed from him. Yet, Sasuke did nothing bad to him, he only demand company over meals. Actually it wasn't a bad life, but at that time, there were a lot of things he didn't know and he didn't trust Sasuke. Had he known what he did now, he would gladly stay by the other's side and allow him to love him.

Extending his hand, he pulled Sasuke close and nuzzled his nose in those spiky, silky dark locks.

"Sasuke, I still think you should have told me everything sooner… disappearing like that – even for my sake – is something cruel. Don't do it again. If you want me to live happily, live with me and stay by my side. Don't betray me again."

The raven-haired male returned the hug and nodded his agreement silently. Suddenly the blond remembered something else, he pulled Sasuke away and looked at his ear, frowning, he questioned.

"Sasuke, at that time in the garden, you had a ring hole, right? In your left earlobe, you said you did it because it needed to be done, what was that all about?"

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, he unconsciously touched his earlobe and indeed, nothing was there. A small sense of loss came over him, he shook his head and rebutted. "It's nothing, it was something silly to begin with."

Naruto frowned, his gut told him it wasn't something silly, he felt like it held an important memory, but that memory still didn't show in his head. Dejected he spoke.

"No, it clearly seems like something important, tell me, what's the story behind it?"

"No, Naruto," Sasuke shook his head. "It really isn't. It's a small memory that at that time I felt nostalgic to it."

The blond blinked at the words, Sasuke explained more at his confused facial expression.

"When I first joined your group, around valentine's, one of the girls who have had a crush on me gave me a set of earrings as a gift. Of course, since I didn't like her, I didn't agree to take it. But you forced me to. You also said how nice it would look on me," A warm smile graced Sasuke's lips. "I put it back in a drawer and forgot about it, a couple of years later, we were doing spring cleaning and found it. You insisted I put it on, so we went to a place and got my ear pierced, but I couldn't do it, at the end of the day, we came back to your house and you did it for me. When you were locked with me in the manor, that memory flashed inside my head and I noticed the pierces you have put on me have closed, that's why I renewed them."

Naruto couldn't hold himself back any longer and crashed his lips onto Sasuke's small ones. He kissed the air out of those small lungs and didn't let go until the door to his room flung open and a surprised-looking Minato stared terrifyingly at him. Naruto sweat-dropped as his hands dropped from Sasuke's face. His brain rushed a million times thinking of excuses that would permit him kissing the young Sasuke without being labeled a pedophile.

Sasuke silently blushed in the background.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! The next chapter would be the last, look forward to it! :D**


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